


Danganronpa: Blood/Oath

by Grand_Exalt



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Fan Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Fanganronpa, Gen, Mild Gore, Mild Language, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:26:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 41
Words: 79,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24072139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grand_Exalt/pseuds/Grand_Exalt
Summary: "Upupupu... let the Killing Game begin! where shall it be this time...?"16 young, peppy, and, ultimately, talented men and women find themselves in my own little game! the location? A beautiful little natural location! a valley! though they aren't here for sight-seeing! they're here for my own, despair-inducing little Killing Game! They're trapped here, forever! a cruel fate indeed...Though I'll offer them one form of escape! Kill each other- and get away with it!Such a revelation should spur the minds of these talented individuals rather well... surely, they'll be asking a few questions! Why are they here? Who put them here? WHERE are they?...and my personal favourite- Who will die first?Upupupu...! such blood-chilling excitement!
Comments: 43
Kudos: 6





	1. Prologue: Valley of Despair- King, Knight and Collector

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our protagonist awakens on a tall hill overlooking a dying valley... And the beginning of this tale begins.

The world is wonderful. Ever-continuing, and ever-evolving, we march into the future.

The people that inhabit this world are also wonderful. Flawed people, but that cannot be helped, for people are human, and humans are imperfect. That is a simple, undeniable truth.

Humans can be sinful. Humans can be virtuous.

Humans can be selfish. Humans can be selfless.

Yet, all the same, they are wonderful.

Yet… There are some more wondrous than others.

Ultimates.

That is simply one of the words for them. One word for people possessing incredible Talents. Being the very best in what they do- true prodigies and highlights of humanity’s will to continue delving into the depths of their established fields. So absolutely incredible in their field that it seems almost supernatural, in nature.

Be that being the most accomplished of strategists, who could lead any to victory.

Be that being the most faithful in the church, being saintly in disposition, and utterly impartial.

Or perhaps, being the greatest of kings, ruling a nation so perfectly one may think them inhuman.

Yes, talents of all sorts exist- but how are such talents cultivated so efficiently?

Simple, many schools for those gifted with a title befitting of ‘Ultimate’, or any other equivalent title, were created, so that those who were born with these incredible gifts may learn from the absolute zeniths of their talent- true masters, whose successors in these Ultimates will bring the world to new heights.

The most well-known, and most prestigious of these, was Hope’s Peak Academy- This was where the greatest of those greats would attend, in the heart of a bustling Japanese urban environment.

Yes, that name… That name spoke volumes of the school, as well as the state of the world. A world where Hope flourished like the brightest of flowers in a wide plain.

What could happen to disrupt such a peace…? And who would ever want to destroy such a society? Why would anyone… want to destroy Hope?

  
\--==--  
  


“Pl...se, awa...n, no…!”

I slowly awakened from the depths of unconsciousness, greeted by a jumble of sounds that one could only assume to be words.

“Urgh… What?” I murmured to myself, the darkness around me seeming to almost muffle my speech. That darkness was smothering, and almost akin to thick tar, ebbing and flowing around me, sticking to me, and preventing my movement- such was clearly the nature of this abyss. Despite my position, I felt no pain nor fear. In fact, I would go as far to call it gentle- or perhaps even comforting.

From the abyssal black sea that surrounded me, those words came forth once again.

“Can you not hear me, my King?! Please, awaken!”

The voice’s inflections and tone were far more prevalent to my slowly waking mind now. It may be perhaps an oxymoron, but the best way I could describe it was ‘Prideful Humility, dashed together with a touch of Nostalgia’. The question soon came to be… why? Why did it make me feel nostalgic? I began to sift through my muddled mind for answers, before I recalled the words spoken to me.

‘My King’

I was… A king?

Yes… Yes, I am a king! It was all beginning to come clear. “Then that must have been… one of them…” I managed to murmur out loud to the sharp silence, my mind barely teetering on the edge of consciousness.

Once my identity as a King had been cleared to me, it had been almost like someone had pulled the plug on a sink. The water that was my memories came flooding into the pipes that were my mind, and with it, the oily black void began to shrink, flushed away by the torrent.

“My King… I am sure that you are under the same spell the rest of us were… in all frankness, even now, I wonder if we are yet under another enchantment, but for now, you must rise!”

“Rise…” I murmured again, this time, those words echoed and rang out, as if they were in a hollow cave. 

Eventually, the blackness had completely disappeared, and I bore witness to a splendour of colour, light and life. The world began to shape like a painting as my mind began to settle. First rough shapes and bold colours, but soon, faint details like the depth of shadow, the gentle movement of the trees and blades of grass. It was then I knew that I had awakened.

Not too soon after, I found myself with the strength to bring myself from the grassy floor, and whilst grasping the side of my head with an armoured hand, I glanced up. A vast shadow loomed over me, and with my eyes, I saw the origin of that shadow. A familiar face- one of ‘them’- as I had previously referred to them as.

The man was a titanic warrior, clad in armour that shone like silver, his grand cape and visage giving him the essence of a great hero- one of pride and honour. That being said, his expression told the story of a compassionate knight that was concerned for the situation of his fellow man.

“My king… Are you alright? You still seem… uneasy- and rightfully so, I do suppose” He asked, shaking me around with a gauntlet-clad hand.

I soon rested my own arm at my side, the minor headache starting to wane. “I am… fine, Gawain. I thank you for your concern, nonetheless”. My response was practically instinctive, though it did wake me from my slothful trance.

My name is Arthur- Arthur Pendragon, the Ultimate King. Indeed, I am alike to that of the King Arthur of legend, in more than simply name. I am a king who rules the great kingdom of England, having inherited this position from my father before me, and his father before him. Our name brings forth the legends of the past, and that is why I am as I am, I do suppose.

Fair of hair and of skin. Bright turquoise eyes. A form and posture that can only belong to that of a stalwart and just ruler.

Elegant noble attire and armour befitting of my station as a king. A blue mantle lined with fur, the insignia of a lion on the back and on the ornament that held the sides of the mantle together in front of me, a red gem within its golden mouth.

My collar popped upwards towards the grand 7-pronged crown that encircled my head, filled with 7 jewels of 7 colours- A representation of the 7 major cities of my kingdom. A symbol of my great authority- and, to me, almost a perfect representation of Britain itself.

Thus, was my appearance at this moment.

Looking at the man before me, I took him in more attentively. He cut quite the imposing figure, with a height that, from my own eye measurement, must have been at least an entire foot taller than myself. Such a height gave him the ‘larger than life’ impression I felt from him, I do suppose. However, I knew this man’s body was not the only thing that did. His soul did, as well. The aura of a valiant and strong warrior flared within him- His soul was like a passionate fire, and one that I could never imagine being snuffed out.

The titanic warrior before me was wide as well as tall, like that of a giant. It was clear that, under all of that armour, he was incredibly muscular. His face was square and handsome, and with a visage like that of a knight from a fairy tale. His eyes were a tranquil blue, and seemed to teeter the line between serious and caring. The only true flaw in this otherwise noble appearance was his hair, that seemed rather messy, and falling a little below his ears. I could liken it to straw, though the apparent texture of the hair purely from sight would make me liken it more with strings of liquid gold.

If his behaviour, height and armour had not already given his identity away to me, I would recognize his face almost instantly- for it is the face of one that I consider one of the greatest of friends.

Gawain Galatine, the Ultimate Knight. My closest and strongest Knight, a true master of Swordsmanship, and Valorous to the core. Honourable, compassionate, empathetic, dutiful. All of this, and even more, described Gawain. A paragon amongst paragons, perhaps might be fitting.

“Am I ever so glad, my liege! For a moment, I’d almost thought you were to perish!” Gawain heartily chuckled as he dusted me down of loose muck that might have blemished my attire.

I soon found myself smiling. Gawain’s upbeat and hearty attitude was one that I always found welcoming, ever since the two of us met as children. Being around him was like being behind a stalwart shield. Safe- secure. A castle in his own right.

“You wouldn’t need to worry about me dying so soon, friend. Now… where might we be?” I replied confidently, emboldened by the fact I was not alone- that I had someone that I knew and trusted.

“I would tell you if I knew, My Liege… it appears we are in quite unfamiliar territory” Gawain explained, gesturing for me to look around. “These locales are quite an oddity, if I might say so… they are certainly not that of our homeland, at the very least”

I did as Gawain seemed to suggest, and craned my neck around to get a look of the surroundings. The area itself seemed to be quite messy and overgrown, the grass growing halfway to my knees and the trees looking like they were about to die from old age- leaves withering and bark looking like it would peel off with enough force. Truly- this wasn’t a location I was particularly familiar with- if at all. My mind drew blanks, as I looked back in defeat. “So it would seem…” I nodded, slightly downtrodden. However, there was something I found intriguing about this…

  
We were not alone.

Other people. 14 other people, to be precise. Counting myself and Gawain, there were 16 of us present, all seemingly around the same age as us- approaching their nineteenth birthdays, or perhaps having already surpassed them, depending on the date. A date which, if we have not been in some sort of long slumber from some Science Fiction Novel, would be something along the lines of the tenth day of the seventh month, if memory serves me correctly. That would put us all at the very peak of the standard school educational system, ever on the cusp of a university.

I knew I had to ask this group for information- one of them may even know where we were- and such information would be useful in order to determine the level of urgency we must apply to the task of escape. “… now then… I must ask everyone here: Does anyone know what is going on?” I asked the crowd of people boldly. As a King, speaking to such crowds was of no concern- I had done so many times, and have done so with worse matters as the topic, I am certain.

This seemed to be the very first time anyone spoke up properly and addressed the whole crowd, as the entire group seemed to stir, one way or another. Some carried an air of frustration, others looked on, intrigued- and yet still, others looked towards me with a modicum of fear. I did not come off that strong, did I?

Eventually, the silence was broken by a man with a dwarf-like build- stout but strong. The most notable features about him were his almost sickly light brown skin, sharp facial features and his long, frazzled, silver hair that looked like that of hay. “Got not a clue what’s goin’ on ‘ere, I’m ‘fraid” He replied gruffly, ruffling his frazzled hair with a muscular hand.

Frankly, the man spoke like something of a country bumpkin, and his voice was gravelly, as if his body almost forgot how to use his vocal cords. Perhaps my thoughts were visible on my face, since he wore an odd scowl- yet still, it didn’t appear to be one of anger or frustration- it seemed to be his normal expression. Though I suppose I am not the best judge of expression, or anything of the sort.

“What he said- Can’t say I have any idea, either” A woman replied. She also appeared to have a darker complexion, though it seemed more middle-eastern in origin- fitting, considering her attire was similar to that out of an Arabian storybook. Bright colours of red and gold, coupled with a dark violet tone, and an airy design that seemed to liken itself to desert environments. “Jeez… What a drag- Of all places, like… This place? Like c’mon, at least make it somewhere indoors, I don’t wanna catch a cold if rain comes falling down”.

A majority of the others in the crowd seemed to nod in agreement. It gave me a brief overview of those in the group. A woman in crimson samurai armour, a man with a sickly pale complexion and a body that seemed ready to fall apart, a man with a sleazy air to him with his pale amber eyes resting just above his dark sunglasses- such was the diversity of the people before me in appearance that, were I to simply give one feature, it would be possible to determine exactly who it was it belonged to, to some extent.

“Ahaha! And so, a mystery begins to unfold! Why? Oh why, were we brought upon this mysterious land?!” A fellow with a finely trimmed ginger beard announced with great passion, extending his arms out, almost projecting himself to the entire group. Such behaviour took me aback. Did he truly not seem to recognize the position we were in? The fact we had someone so carefree about the situation before us was quite concerning, seeing as we were brought here against our will… yet, I suppose people cope to things in different ways- that is what Merlin told me.

“Whilst the ‘why’ shall remain out of reach, for now, you might perhaps gain a better understanding of the ‘where’ if you would use those eyes of yours” A man around the same height as I with slicked back blonde hair reminiscent of a lion’s mane spoke coldly, as if, for but a moment, repressing a venomous tongue. He extended a single finger to my right, gesturing to a cliff.

Deciding to heed the advice of the man before me, I walked forward, approaching the cliff, but staying a good few steps from the edge. Looking down, I found myself quite enamoured with what was before me. We were walled in by mountainous terrain that seemed too steep to climb without any sort of equipment. Judging by the shape of the locales, we were trapped in a valley, from what I could tell. The area we were in was much more expansive than it first appeared. By eye, I could at least establish that walking from this far side to the other one would be… Perhaps a 20-minute walk? The alluring valley below seemed to also be home to a small settlement- though said settlement seemed to be abandoned, the entire thing taken back by nature. Bright shades of Red, Teal and Orange stood out amongst the moss and grass covering the area, seemingly forming various archways, among other things.

Though looking at the valley, it didn not even occur to me what might have been behind us. I turned and witnessed an astonishing sight. A titanic mountain stretching as high as the stars, from this angle. A Mountain so inhumanly tall I wondered if it was even possible to scale it with even the finest of equipment.

“I’ve never quite seen… well, sensed... a place so… Decadent” A white-robed woman wearing a blindfold spoke with a soft and soothing voice, remaining perfectly still, as if tapping into the essence of the Earth and Wind.

“You cannot possibly be more correct, in such circumstances” A man with a luxurious blue cloak responded, nodding his head a few times before coughing, and resting an elbow on a flat arm as he tapped his cheek with his index finger. “Lost to time- abandoned- left to simply be restored to its natural state, so it seems. Kehe… To think, this would be the end result of our own civilization as a whole, eventually”

“Iiii’d rather not be thinking of Doomsday, thanks” A woman with purple hair chirped, her harmonious voice and almost exact contrast to the rather grim one of the man before. She looked over from the plateau from which we stood, arms behind her back, leaning forward. “Though, for real, it’s a beautiful sight...! Iiiif you ignore all the broken buildings and stuff!”

The bearded fellow seemed to take this chance to chime in. “Ahaha! Indeed! The ruins, left undisturbed for centuries, having been reclaimed by Nature from which it was purloined from!” He added, eyes aflame- perhaps a spark of inspiration fell alight in his eye?

“This place is jus’ beggin’ f’ some flutes or somethin’ to be played over it” The Silver Haired Man soon mused, scratching his bristly chin with his thumb behind the cover of his large hand. “‘S bit ol’ fashion’d, I kno’, bu’... Y’get what I’m sayin’?”

Everyone seemed to agree that the place was beautiful, at the very least… Though that wouldn’t be particularly helpful. What information could be gotten from the view we had? Could we understand what hemisphere we were in? Could we further understand the country? Such things would be difficult, I was sure.

“Yep! Ambient music really is the world’s best!”

My eyes widened. That was not the voice of anyone here, that I was sure. It was too high-pitched. Too chipper, with an almost concealed, icy, intent behind it. The voice rang from behind us, and it was then that I noticed the large wooden stage, obscured by scarlet curtains. Perhaps I had not noticed it because I was focused too much on the mountain itself?

“Who’s there?! Reveal yourself!” The blindfolded woman demanded, a cross in her hand.

In response to the woman’s request, a loud cadence of laughter erupted from the stage. In a single instantaneous action, the curtains flew open and birds of thousands of colours flew out, revealing something where they once were.

A single, tiny wooden stall, with a limp humanoid plush bear sitting on top, its sides white and black. With a black button eye on the left and a red mark on the right. It hopped onto its stubby legs of its own accord.

“What the…?” A boy in a wheelchair murmured in surprise next to me as we looked on. I couldn’t blame the boy’s reaction. All of us had a dumbfounded expression on our faces. We were barely able to even comprehend what it was that we were seeing. This small, cartoony-looking, bear had moved of its own accord, without even so much as a sound.

Eventually, like all silence, it broke.

“Aha! I understand perfectly now! We were brought here by a Demon, a Demon I tell you!” The blindfolded woman screeched in fear, shocked by the sudden movement of the bear. “Stand back, friends! This Shepherd shall repel the Wolf from the Flock!” She looked back at us as she proclaimed her actions. Were I capable of seeing her eyes, I would imagine they were serious, or wide-eyed in terror.

“D-Demon…?! D...Demon…!” The woman in crimson armour stuttered, almost in a trance. She scrunched her eyes shut, and slammed her palms against her ears. “No way, no way! A-Ahh....” She said, practically crawling into her own little ball. A rather large fellow, similar in stature to Gawain, gave her a pat on the back whilst paying attention to the words of the bear in order to help calm her down.

“Nah nah nah, I ain’t a demon! See these  _ beautiful, innocent _ eyes? Are these the eyes of a  _ Demon _ , to you?” The Bear cackled, prodding its eyes. It was oddly animated, and in such a way I’d consider it a marvel if someone was able to play puppet master with it that well. Such told me that this thing was clearly not being operated remotely by a person- at least, not right now, it wasn’t.

“D-Demons are known for beguiling others! I will not falter here!” The woman with the cross insisted, turning her head and pushing her cross forward.

“Hmhmhmhm… demons- you play an amusing game. Who believes in such asinine things?” The Blonde Haired boy sneered, crossing his arms.

“Sooooo… Mr. Bear Guy, could ‘ya tell us what the heck is going on?” The Purple-Haired Woman asked, pointing a finger at the bear, trying her best to appear somewhat courteous.

“Ahhh, you damn kids, with your youth, and wanting to dash right into things… buy me a drink, first!” The bear complained, mocking an old man’s walk. “C’mooooon, you think I’m gonna just TELL you things? The NERVE!” The bear attempted to cross its arms in anger, but due to the stubby, single jointed nature of them, they ended up one on top of the other.

“Then we’ll just have to settle with that, for now” A woman in a burgundy suit shook her head in defeat.

“Settling with nothing, you mean?” The Blue-Cloaked man smirked, stroking his chin. “Alright… I suppose it is no different from any other time”

“Yep! So you all better get to know each other and this wooonnderful valley you’re in reeeeaaal well, alriiiight?”

“Get to know each other and our location… why? We shalt be here for long, I’m sure” Gawain questioned, adding a light chuckle at the end.

“Keep sayin’ that to yourself, BROOOO! You and everyone here will be here for a while! Well… maybe, it really depends on how things pan out” the bear responded sarcastically.

“How things will… pan out? What is the meaning of that?” the Blindfolded Woman asked, her brow starting the furrow in curiosity.

“You’ll see..! Or not- tell ‘ya what, I’ll cut you a little deal!” The bear soon giggled, leaping off of his stage and onto the grass. He began to wander around, pirouetting on the spot at times, as if to emphasize the surrounding area. “This valley- you’re trapped here, you see. Being trapped like this isn’t that high on your to-do list, I’m sure, soooo... If you escape before I call you back, I’ll let you go, no strings attached!”

“Such a deal sounds, frankly, too good to be true. How might we know that you will uphold your end of the bargain? Furthermore, how can we be certain that there even IS an escape?” The boy in the wheelchair asked, raising an eyebrow lazily.

“Upupu…! Bear’s honour, I suppose!” The bear replied, before hopping his way back onto the stage. “It’ll be a good while before you’ll be called back here, though. Personally, I recommend getting to know each other a little bit, and getting to know the valley that you (might) be inhabiting!” Once he hopped back onto the stage, a gust of wind blew to shut the curtains, and upon peeking behind the curtains… the bear was no more.

This situation demanded a leading figure… I suppose, as a king, that would be my role. “Let us remain calm in these unfavourable times! Unity is the key!” I announced to the group. “In order to proceed properly, a plan must be consolidated”. I could only hope that they would listen to my voice and commands.

“Agreed. As a Strategist, I personally recommend that we take out two birds with one stone. Let’s explore the area and introduce ourselves to everyone as we go. We need to know all we can as soon as possible” the boy in the wheelchair replied, tentatively prodding his fingers together on his lap. “IF that is okay with everyone” He added.

“That will suffice. If anyone finds an escape, make sure the rest of the group knows about it as well, alright? I want to leave no one to the demonic bear” The blindfolded woman shook her head, lowering it in lament.

“Gotcha…! If I see ANYTHIN’ I’ll tell all of ‘yas, no big deal at all!” A muscular man agreed with a wide grin and a large thumbs up, his large form towering over all but the equally titanic Gawain once he stood up straight, the woman in armour seemingly calming down now.

“And so the group enters an agreement of exploration and introduction!” The bearded man announced, almost like a narrator. “Fortuitous that I, and ye friends at my side, art united! Great fortune being upon us!”

The discussion proceeded well, at this point… Though, of course, I was not expecting everyone to go along with it…

“You may do as you will of your own accord. I shall conduct my own investigation separate from yours. I needn’t associate with inferior fools, such as yourselves” The man with slicked back blonde hair responded arrogantly, his expression one of anger and indignation.

“I’m afraid that’s not particularly wise, sir” A woman in a white military coat and blue haori interjected. “Let’s not kid ourselves- He’s right. We need to stick together. You just jumping off on your own isn’t gonna fly around here- for all we know, the circumstances behind this could be more dire than we realize. We have to proceed with a level of caution, got that?”

A majority of the group nodded in agreement to the woman’s words. Frankly, it was not something to be advised, having so much as one person not a part of the group… A stubborn opposing force. I was used to such opposition, both in my court, and on the battlefield. The simple fix would be to soundly crush their viewpoint, though the man we were in contention with seemed not to be the type to back down easily.

“You do say the most amusing things. Allow me to put my viewpoint in simple terms for you to understand: You are a mongrel. I am above you. I do not work alongside you- I work above you, or otherwise separate from you, unless I find it to my fancy” He further explained, tilting his head upwards, eyes gliding down to look at the features of those shorter than him.

“S-She has a point… we shouldn’t… be separate. Working together… will be a lot better” The Woman in Armour stuttered out in agreement with the woman in the white coat, tapping her index fingers together, looking at the floor. “I think…” She soon added, as if to try and take the ever so slight edge off of her words, as if cautious that the blonde-haired man might bite back with a yell.

There was an air of silence as the man stared at the rather anxious woman clad in armour, eyes narrowing ever so slightly before noticing her distress in his silent judgement. He noticed a distinct look in her eyes that denoted fear- fear of what he would say next.

“Fuahahahaha! Amusing, truly amusing that ones such as yourselves think themselves on par with one such as I…! You cannot even speak to me face-to-face! Yet… Casting you completely aside would make you all more of a waste, I suppose. At the very least, it would make things less dull... Yes… your continued incessant chatter may be annoying, but it also has its humorous points, as well! The words of a fool who thinks he or she might command me are particularly amusing. Hmhm… Very well then”

Gawain finally walked up to the man, towering over him as he cooly made his decision. “Then you shall cooperate for at least a while?” He asked.

“Mongrel- you confuse my words. I do not plan on working alongside any of you. More rather… tolerating you. Perhaps, if you should find yourselves entertaining me, I shall at the very least contribute to your own investigation by answering a question of yours… Though you shall not pester me for answers I do not wish to bestow- to do so will be your downfall” The man replied, looking Gawain in the eye. There was a strained feeling between the both of them for perhaps a moment, before someone else decided to chime in.

“Eh… arrogance is soooo out of fashion” The woman in bright clothes spoke snidely, mouth covered by an immaculate hand. “You think it’s cool or something?”

“Be silent, impudent cur!” The Blonde-Haired Man replied, his brow contorted in anger towards her remarks. “Your insolence insults my ears”

“Cease the pointless bickering! There is more to focus on, no?” Gawain tried to reason. The woman backed off immediately, turning away from the man with a sulking expression. In contrast, the man simply looked up at Gawain’s square face, their eyes locking gazes once again- almost accepting his challenge.

“Hmhm… simple as you are, your words strike true. Very well. Knight, that is what I assume you are, correct?” King grinned as he spoke. His face simply reeking of pride.

“Indeed it is, Sir. I am Gawain Galatine, the Ultimate Knight” Gawain nodded to affirm, introducing himself.

“… so that’s how it is…” He said before bringing a hand cloaked in gold armour to his chin, nodding his head as he spoke. “Then I shall reward your foolhardiness- no... bravado, with a reward” the man corrected himself, smirking. “I shall give you all a name to know me by. You shall be grateful to the Knight for that” King spoke seriously, addressing all of us, breaking his gaze with Gawain, only to crane his piercing gaze over the group, tilting his head upwards as if to look down on us from above.

“...Proceed. What name will it be, then?” Gawain encouraged him to speak. He didn’t seem to be much of a fan of the man’s arrogant attitude, but he, at least, tried to take it in stride, and not let that show.

“Allow me to preface this announcement with a simple disclaimer- You’re all unworthy of my true name, so let it be known this is clearly false. You may know me… as King. And you may further know me as the Ultimate Collector” the Blonde Haired Man we now knew as King chuckled, rearing back his head to let his laugh echo wide across the valley.

“Why don’t you try and collect a shirt…” the woman smugly spoke again, letting loose another snide remark. King seemed to twist around to where she stood almost instantly.

“I heard that, mongrel!” He said with a flare of anger in his eyes. “Your halfwitted ideas of comedy show how truly base-born you truly are. Are you perhaps a hyena? Only capable of fighting back when you have others to do the work for you?”

Inanna’s remark was quite accurate, in some sense. King’s body was not so much as covered with a shirt, revealing his torso, and the muscle that laid there- along with the red markings that appeared almost tribal, in nature. His entire right arm was covered by golden armour that looked to be quite old, in design- though retained its lustre as if it was forged just yesterday. He wore baggy brown trousers like those you’d find in tales of Genies and Djinn- in fact, his whole appearance seemed to incite that general corner of the world, with the gold article around his neck laid with gems resembling something a pharaoh might wear- and his head, adorned with a circlet bearing 10 thorn-like protrusions, almost seemed to demand a sort of authority. In a way, all of his clothing gave images of days long past, similarly to myself, and perhaps a few others here.

It was such that a single thought was brought to my mind: “This man did not look like a collector”- Yet, with the way he acted, he seemed to be more than truthful. Perhaps it was even so much as the only genuine thing we knew about him outside of what we had seen.

“...Then I suppose that is what it shall be. Lord King… I suppose it shall suffice- yet know this: Such a title you bestowed to yourself in name does not reflect my thoughts toward you in the least” Gawain responded, sighing. The fact that Gawain felt the need to say that was somewhat reassuring, in some sense, if a little unnecessary.

“That is only natural… after all, I doubt a Knight, even less so the ‘ultimate’ Knight, would bow before a new King before his old one is in the ground… furthermore, if that king just so happened to be among us” King’s crimson eyes drifted over to me, piercing my very soul as if they were daggers. There was no mistaking it- he recognized me, and my identity. Whether it was because of the connection he had possibly witnessed between myself and Gawain, my appearance, or due to prior knowledge, was something I was not able to grasp, however.

  
“Absolutely- I think that should go without saying however, no?” I responded, returning a gaze to King, before looking back to the group at large. “… Now then, that aside… let us proceed with our plan- we do not want to waste the time that we have been oh-so graciously bestowed to escape, now do we?” I asked the group, widening my arms.

“Correct- To have spent such precious time scuffling was not a wise move, to put it lightly- though I suppose that is now over, so… Let’s go, Okita- we’ve got places to go and see” The boy in the wheelchair looked over to the Girl in the White Coat, who nodded and proceeded to push the young boy’s wheelchair.

A majority of the group slowly began to dissipate, some particulars being the blindfolded woman and the the ever-arrogant King leaving in one of the two ways set open to us. On the sides of the cliff face were two large stone staircases. There seemed to be no other way down, otherwise. King and a few others took the right-hand side, whilst the Boy in the Wheelchair, and the Woman in the White Coat, whom I assumed must have been named Okita, headed on the left, alongside myself, the Woman in Samurai Armour, the Muscular Man with a stature like that of Gawain, the Woman in Brightly Coloured Clothes, and the Silver-Haired Man.

Okita, upon pushing the boy to the staircase, seemed to have been met with a conundrum. The boy was likely around the same weight, perhaps a little less, than herself, but that didn’t seem to help her by any means- she seemed incredibly cautious about even so much as trying to pick him up. It was clear that the first major hurdle would be getting the boy down the stairs. 

“Welp… I s’pose there’s not a way o’ gettin’ ‘im down easy, eh?” The Silver-Haired Man commented, scratching his head as he began to walk down the stairs. Alongside him was the Woman with the Brightly Coloured Clothes, who soon added “Well… I mean, I woulnd’t expect any kinda disabled access in a ruin, would you?” She replied, seemingly paying more attention to the nails on her hand than anything else right now. The man simply shrugged as they continued their conversation on the way down.

“H-Hey! ...Wait…” The Woman in Samurai Armour tried to call out, though she was far too quiet to even so much as be heard by anyone barely outside her reaching distance. “...C’mon… You gotta help, right…?” She murmured, prodding her fingers together as she watched them seemingly abandon this small group when someone was in need.

“It’s fine… We’ll find a way down” Okita responded, still seemingly puzzled over the ‘how’ in that.

“It’s not something that I don’t THINK I can’t figure out… You’ll have to just… give me a moment” The boy in the wheelchair assured, bringing out a flat palm. “I’ve seen more difficult problems before, I’m sure…”

“Now c’mon! Don’t go thinkin’ you gotta make things hard on yourself, yeah?” The muscular man replied, giving a laugh as he swiftly hoisted the boy onto his shoulder.

“Woah! B-Be careful with him!” Okita replied, practically leaping back in response, a little bit of worry in her eyes for a moment until she realized his condition was more than fine. In fact, he seemed a little happier, in fact.

“There’s no cause for alarm-! Now then… IF you would kindly help us, then… Well, we’d certainly accept that- would certainly trump doing it simply on our own, no?” The boy soon responded, seemingly feeling a little lighter in the spirit now that he was high in the air on the shoulder of this man.

“Yeah, don’t sweat it! It’s what a guy like me’s gotta do, y’know! If I ain’t the Lightning King of the Ring, then what am I?!” He laughed. The Woman in Samurai Armour’s eyes seemed to flash in recognition of such a title, and looked up in awe at the towering figure- though such a thing only really amounted to looking up by probably around 2 inches. They were rather similar in height.

“R-Right…! A-As you say, Kintoki!” She soon responded, slamming her fist into her chest. “I-I’ll do what I can to help!”

‘So the man’s name is… Kintoki?’ I pondered to myself- then it seemed to be that I was not the only one with people I knew in this game… Well, aside from the obvious duo of the young boy and the one who pushed his wheelchair.

“Kintoki, huh…? Ahhhh, I get’cha, I get’cha- Well, well, can’t say I was expectin’ this! Hehaaah! Then let’s get TO IT!” He responded, pumping his fist into the air. “Alrighty, little lady, or perhaps it’d be uhh… Well, I dunno, you’re not that short, are ‘ya? Haha… Anyhow, come and give your pal a hand, yeah?”

Such words seemed to make me reevaluate my perception. A one-sided recognition. The woman knew of him, but the man, not of her. Intriguing.

“T-Then… I-I’ll help with the wheelchair…?” She said, inching awkwardly towards it and hesitating before holding it seemingly as gently as possible. “I-I’ll try not to break it or anything on the way down…”

Okita seemed a tad confused by the display, but shook her head as if to snap herself out of a trance. “Y-Yeah…! Sure! We’d appreciate the help, right, Kiragi?” She called up to the boy, now seemingly named Kiragi.

“It will indeed be quite wonderful… very well, then, let’s be off! We’re wasting time!” he said, pointing down to the valley below. With such a command, the 4 of them happily made their way down the staircase, leaving us to be the last two remaining.

“I suppose now that you’ve been assured that everyone is doing their best, and that little can go wrong, it is time for us to do our part, my king?” Gawain asked, smiling as he gestured down the staircase. I nodded solemnly, and without a word, the both of us also ventured down, a decent distance behind those who had already taken off.

We made our way down the staircase, looking down at the waterfall flowing from a small barred-off cave under the plateau we stood on moments before.

“I suppose I should say this now… If only because I fear that there will be precious few opportunities to say it at a later date- I am thankful that you are with me here, Gawain” I said, speaking with a less stern expression on my face, acting more casually as we walked- I had known him since I was young, so it was only natural that I felt at home around him.

“As I am that you are here with me as well, My King. Were you not here… my, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night until I knew you were properly safe!” Gawain chuckled. Though Gawain made light of it, I knew that he was being entirely truthful.

“Hmhm… I wouldn’t imagine my Knight of the Sun to be so selfish. What about the other knights? You think they may not miss me?” I joked, giving a friendly jab to Gawain’s side, elbow colliding with the armour that laid there.

“Oh, you wound me! But… admittedly, it must be worrying them quite a lot. I am sure that Lancelot and Percival are turning the Kingdom upside down looking for you!” Gawain heartily laughed. “Their loyalty is just as fervent as mine, you know!”

“Turning up the Kingdom, eh…?” I said aloud, tilting my head around for a moment.

“My King? Ah… yes… you are thinking of your brother, aren’t you?”

“Of course. Now that I am not there… I must wonder whether Mordred will attempt to take over once again” I sighed, glanced to the side, looking down at the valley. “My apologies. To think I’ve soured the mood” I apologized, bowing my head briefly.

“It is fine, My King. It is natural for you to be concerned about your Kingdom and homeland, after all” Gawain smiled back to me. “I believe you have little to worry about- I am sure Palamedes, Merlin and Kay, at the very least, are helping keep the Kingdom from becoming unstable!” He said, nodding.

“Yes… I should have more faith in my Knights. They are all also truly exemplary people- what king would I be if I didn’t trust those closest to me?” I smiled, giving a determined look to Gawain- we would find that method of escape.

“That is the way, my Liege! Now then, how about we begin our search down at the drain down there?” Gawain pointed down to where the water flowed.

“Yes… that would be a quite sound idea. The direction of the water may yet lead us towards a means to reach the sea! Let us press on, Gawain!” I commanded with zeal, the two of us moving faster, energized.

This would be the beginning of a rollercoaster, I was sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First and foremost, I would like to say: Thank you for reading to the end- It makes me feel happy to know that someone decided to read to whole chapter of my work. I've actually uploaded the first big chunk of this fangan once before, but I deleted it, due to not feeling terribly happy with it. This one will hopefully stick around, though!
> 
> I love Danganronpa as a series, and it makes me feel good to finally be able to throw this up here in a state I feel satisfied with. Of course, no piece of writing is without its flaws, so it's here I'd like to ask: What are your thoughts so far? what do you think about the little snippets you've seen of characters, and especially our very on-the-nose named characters in Arthur and Gawain- do you find them compelling? do you dislike them? so on, so forth- of course, feel free to talk about anyone else, as well- be that our ever-arrogant King, or one of the other students you've not quite gotten to know yet!
> 
> This will probably end up posted over multiple platforms (considering Wattpad and Booksie, at this moment in time). This DOES have a Google Doc, which is where I'm primarily writing it, but I'm hesitant to let that go, as of right now, if only to make sure everything's up to scratch and feels right, to me.
> 
> As a further little addendum, I do have Picrews, or otherwise traced sprites for some of these characters. The dubious nature of the fact these sprites are traced, and the fact that Picrews are pretty inaccurate, all things considered, is why I was perhaps hesitant to have them up once upon a time. That being said, I've decided to put them in, in the end.


	2. Prologue: Valley of Despair- Wrestler and Warrior

We reached the bottom of the monolithic staircases and was faced with a dilapidated path. The path led to a small wooden bridge, looking to be on its last legs, with the red pain faded, and the other, to a forest with titanic trees. Despite there being a river, it was oddly shallow, barely even up to halfway of your shoe or boot. More akin to a long puddle than a river, in this area, at the very least.

“The river seems to be… artificial. The water goes in, it comes out in that waterfall up there, then meanders around” I explained to Gawain my insights as we approached.

“I am not too familiar with such a contraption as that but… I shall say that you are more than likely correct… everything does not quite seem real, to me, either- trees and all” Gawain commented. “Though there is no doubt that they are alive… they must have some sort of odd genetic modification, or whatever it is that the likes of Merlin say” He chuckled, scratching behind his head. “That aside… it appears we are not the first to inspect this! I spy 2 people!”

Sure enough, Gawain had indeed spotted two people. A Silver haired beauty in Crimson Samurai Armour and a Muscular Blonde Man with a large Tiger pelt strewn over his shoulder. I recognised the man as the one who carried that boy down the stairs. It seemed to be that the three of them had parted ways.

“ALLLLLRIGHT! HERE’S A TASTE OF THE LIGHTNING KING OF THE RING’S SPECIAL MOVE!” He bellowed, a fire in his heart. “GOOOOOLD KOI… CRAAASH!”

The man leapt at full speed into the metallic grate in a dramatic fashion, titanic arms first, surging with power. Once they collided, he slammed one of his pillar-like legs into it as fast as lightning. He backflipped off, seeing what damage he had done. 

“Ahhh… nothin” He bit his lip, sighing. The man’s greatest, and strongest, attack, did positively nothing to the grate, which held so firm you had to wonder if it were hit to begin with.

“I-It didn’t do much, but....” The woman beside him said softly, before taking a deep breath. “IT WAS REALLY COOL!” She burst out saying, a sparkle in her eyes. “It’s every bit as it was on TV!” They continued, balling her hands together in pure enthusiasm. “Just as I expected from Kintoki!”

“Ain’t it though?! Listen here, baby, I DESIGNED that move with cool in mind! So of course it’s gonna impress, wouldn’t allow it NOT to if there’s someone like you around!” The man gloated pridefully.

“Haha! Yeah! I’d love to try and design a move like that! I’ve got my own style, but there’s nothing as… stylish and cool as that!” She responded with an almost childlike innocence, unexpected in her appearance. “I mean… martial arts isn’t usually about looking flashy, is all…” They added, giving a slightly awkward chuckle.

It was then we decided to make our approach, Gawain going first. “Greetings, friends!” Gawain called over with a welcoming wave accompanying it.

“Heheeey! Another big guy like me, yeah? If I’m rememberin’ right, you stood up to the prick callin’ himself King, yeah?” The man greeted with a wide, cheesy, grin filled with perfectly white teeth. “That was preeeetty neat of ‘ya!”

“Haha! now, now, I think helping the boy down those stairs is more worthy of praise than what I did!” Gawain laughed, stroking his chin. “You hadn’t the requirement to do it, yet you did so with little more than a second thought! If I must give you any sort of compliment, it would be for such a charitable or considerate act.

Up closer, I took more note of the man’s attire. Other than the large Tiger Pelt tossed over his shoulder, he seemed to have a thin sleeveless black jacket with gold buttons that hung free on the sides of his body, seemingly more for style than anything else. Underneath was a white button-up, but it was buttoned down to just above his stomach, revealing his muscular chest. He wore long snazzy trousers of a similar material to his jacket. Gold lines trailed down the sides, splitting at a zipper, which was entirely unzipped, letting part of his large calves show. To finish his ensemble, he wore black fingerless gloves with a bolt at the back of the hand.

The thing that stuck out to me most, however, was the sheer number of accessories and jewellery the man had. He had multiple golden necklaces around his neck, as well as multiple gold bands around his arms. Most notable, though, was the gigantic gold belt around his waist. Combined with a set of purple shades, he almost appeared to have come from the 1980s.

“It is a pleasure to meet you again, Sir! I am Gawain Galatine, the Ultimate Knight” Gawain greeted him properly, bowing his head courteously.

“Hehe! thought so, remember you sayin’ that, and... y’know, you look the part, gotta say!” the man complimented, looking him up and down with an approving smile, stroking at the tiny chin hairs he had.

“I thank you, sir! In fact, by your physique, I would peg you for a physical talent, as well! And with that move you performed earlier… yes, I am certain it is some kind of martial art! Though those Gold Accessories make you seem ill-equipped for such a thing” Gawain looked up and down at the man’s clothes as he did to him.

“Hehey, I don’t have ‘em on in a match! But they look cool, so I just gotta wear ‘em any other time I can, ‘ya know!”

I simply watch as Gawain and the man got to know each other. I did not think it best to interrupt with my own introduction.

“In the end, though, no need to be formal, yeah? I’m Kintarou Tokisaka, the Ultimate Wrestler, though maybe I don’t quite look the part right now. This here’s Tomoe, she’s the Ultimate Warrior” Kintarou gestured to the woman in armour beside him.

“Ahaha! A warrior and a wrestler, eh? My, my, quite interesting!” Gawain nodded, looking the both of them up and down.

“A pleasure, both of you. I am Arthur, the Ultimate King. I will hope that we can get out of here quickly” I finally managed to speak up and made an attempt to enter this atmosphere of forming camaraderie. Trying to interject into this friendly atmosphere I thought would be difficult, but I soon found myself quite wrong.

“Nice to meet ‘ya, eh… Your Highness?!” Kintarou seemed to immediately stiffen up and take on a more serious position- I had taken him entirely off guard.

“There is no need to be so proper, you said so yourself. We may be… casual, at the very least. Please, do not allow my presence to make you believe otherwise” I spoke with a level of stress in my voice. I tried to not show my nerves. Kintarou stayed still for a moment, before nodding.

“Alrighty, then, coolio! Let’s keep it nice and cool, yeah? Ice Cold, Ice Age cold!” Kintarou gave a thumbs up and chuckled.

“Y-yes, let us… keep it cool” I nodded.

“N-Now that you mention it, King did allude to the idea that Gawain’s king w-was among us” the woman whom Kintarou introduced as Tomoe, commented.

“Good ears, Tomoe!” He praised, nodding. “He did indeedy. That aside, y’know, don’t let me be your introduction, yeah? Give it a go yourself!” He said, slapping the woman on the back as if to prompt her.

“E-Eh? Really?” Tomoe said in surprise. “But… you already introduced me… it’s pointless to do it twice, right?”

“Of course not! An introduction is best when you say it yourself!”

Tomoe seemed to gulp before speaking.

“I-I’m Tomoe…! Tomoe Oni-” Tomoe paused, eyes widened. She stayed still for a moment, slowly bringing her hands her her ears before, in a single rapid moment, she began to shake, hyperventilate, and thrash her head around, hands staying firmly planted on her ears.

“O...Oni... “ She spoke hoarsely between breaths. “C’mon...concentrate, Tomoe!”

“Hey, hey, hey, get’chaself together, yeah?” Kintarou rushed to her side, patting her on the back.

Tomoe soon managed to stop herself,looking to us with a sorrowful expression.

“S-Sorry about that…” She stuttered out apologetically.

“It is not a problem, miss. Please, continue from where you left off”

“R-right… I’m Tomoe…” Tomoe covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. “Oniyasashi… I’m the Ultimate Warrior” She gently let go of her ears and cautiously opened her eyes.

“A pleasure to meet you properly miss...” I trailed off, trying to think of a way of saying her surname without causing another reaction like that.

“If you don’t wanna call by Tomoe… Yasashi will do, I suppose… just don’t say the other part… please” Tomoe bowed her head, almost begging.

“That is fine. Allow me to start again…” I took a deep breath. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Yasashi!” I smiled as I spoke, extending a hand. Tomoe gracefully shook my hand gently, but despite that, I could feel an almost abnormal amount of strength in it, as if with even with just this strength, she was capable of crushing my hand and the plated armour along with it.

Tomoe was a Silver Haired beauty. Her light red eyes were gentle, and the physique under her patches of crimson Samurai armour was most certainly feminine. The armour had Golden studs, with the exception of her arms, where the studs became tiny thorn-like spikes. Underneath these patches of armour, she wore a white kimono with yellow and red lining. The left arm of the Kimono had been cut off just before halfway down, and seemingly resembled more of a shirt, now.

She wore a piece of torso protection similar to that of a large belt, with an emblem in the middle, from which trailed a red skirt. Dark grey tights led into black boots. From what I could tell with her face and patches of exposed skin, she powered her face. She also wore two ornamental horns under her hair, tipped red, as if it were bloody. Her appearance, were I to sum it up in one word… would be Autumn-Winter Demon- though I would keep that one, to myself… Tomoe did not seem to take kindly to terms related to ‘Demon’, were her previous reactions to such things not showing that.

On her person, she seemed to possess three weapons: A Katana, a Nagiyari and a Longbow. Looking to my own, as well as Gawain’s side, I noticed we had also been outfitted with Swords, although they were not the ones we were familiar with- they were wooden, just as Tomoe's appeared to be, though they did make for convincing fakes.

  
  
  


“Yeah! You too!” she responded quickly, still seeming on edge. “It’s good to meet you too, Arthur!”

“So, what were you two trying to do?” I asked, trying to get back on topic to what we were meant to do.

“Well, we were trying to break down this grate, you see. We thought it might just allow us a way out” Kintarou explained.

“Aha! I thought the same thing when I first saw it!” Gawain commented. “To think, if we combined our strength… we could put a dent in it!”

“You guys care to help me out? Y’know, all Tag-Team like? Kintarou requested, gesturing with his large arms to get his point across.

“Personally, I would be glad to assist, myself!” Gawain nodded, listening to Kintarou’s request.

“Me and Tomoe have tried doing it alone and together, but nothin’ seems to work!” Kintarou shook his large fist into the air in a bit of mock rage.

“Well, it IS steel, no?” I said, stating the obvious. Even with strength like that, I had to doubt the ability to tear away such thick bars.

“Pfft! Steel Schmeel! So… let’s get together and at least try and cause a dent!” Kintarou scoffed. “Let’s get some hustle on this!”

“I like your optimism! Let’s try and break it regardless of its durability!” Gawain nodded enthusiastically.

“That’s Kintoki for you!” Tomoe added, nodding.

Kintarou patted Tomoe on the shoulder. “Yo, Tomoe, it’s alright if you just call me Kintarou, I ain’t in the Ring, y’know? Ya’ not talking to Kintoki, but Kintarou, y’know?” He said, shrugging.

“Hehe... alright then, Kintarou” She smirked, a more fitting, confident gaze as befitting of her talent shone across her face. It fitted them far more than the nervous one they were wearing prior.

“Now then, I believe we’re ready to start” I said, sighing with anticipation. I felt a cocky grin spread across my face for once in such a long time.

“This opportunity's pretty Golden, if you ask me…” Kintarou smirked, a golden flash in his eyes. “Let’s not waste it. Gawain, Arthur, Tomoe… let’s do this! Let’s show that dollar store plushie our Gold Resolve, yeeeaaah!” We stood near shoulder to shoulder and began to charge.

The 4 of us ran at our top speed, putting all our strength, into a single attack. I was sure this would work, but...

Nothing.

There was not even a scratch on the bars, or so much as any indication they moved.

“That did… not go as planned” I grunted, getting off the ground, massaging in between the armour I wore around my shoulder.

“Yeah… totally not a gold moment. I was sure that’d do the trick!” Kintarou scoffed, getting off the ground, leaning backwards as if to loosen his joints.

“Demoralising doesn’t even begin to cover it…” Tomoe slumped onto the ground, moving her right shoulder.

“Well… we seem to be unable to exit through here. The bars are quite obviously too strong, as could probably be expected” I concluded.

“A shame too… I was sure the old Gold Koi Crash would’ve done it in... but that’s how life is, eh?” Kintarou sighed, with a wry smile. “Guess it ain’t gonna be coming out this way that we’ll escape”

“Apologies that we were unable to assist you. We shall see what we can do in the future, however” I said.

“R-right! We’ll just do our best!” Tomoe nodded. “I’m sure it will come up OK!”

“Then if you might excuse us, then we’ll be off! We have other places to explore. I hope you understand” Gawain said, moving out of the water and back onto the path. “Now then, My King…! There is more to see! Let us go and find that which we must!”

“Nah, it’s cool man. We’ll meet up again later, yeah?” Kintarou smirked, snapping his fingers.

“It was nice meeting the two of you! Please, do not hesitate to come find us if you make any kind of progress” I called over as I walked back onto the path.

“Got’cha chief, that’s a promise, moulded in gold. A golden promise, yeaaah!” Kintarou seemed to psyche himself up, pumping his fist into the air.

“Haha! Then perhaps it is too golden of a promise not to keep to!” Gawain laughed, waving to Kintarou as we departed. The two seemed to have already bonded quite well.

Eventually, me and Gawain parted ways with them, walking along the ruined path into the woods. There had to be something there. Perhaps it would even provide us an exit?

Even if there was not… I had to believe there was.


	3. Prologue: Valley of Despair- Apostle

The area we entered was filled with decadent pink blossom trees, their petals swirling like a pleasant breeze in this hidden grove. In front of us in this almost hidden clearing was a Temple which previously had bright colours of reds, yellows, blues and greens, with only the faded, dulcet tones giving any indication of what once was.

“My, my… such a shame to see a site like this so deserted” Gawain shook his head.

“Indeed it is… yet, all the same, I suppose you could call it ‘hauntingly beautiful’, all the same” I responded, glancing around at the holy site desecrated by foliage. “I don’t believe I quite recognise what religion this small temple would be for… it certainly does not look like any in our kingdom” I commented, scratching my chin as we slowly approached the gates and staircase.

“Indeed… the gates that lead up the staircase seem to indicate to be from the east, however. I hear they are quite often found in their religious shrines” Gawain noted, pointing to large wooden gates with a dull red colour.

“Why yes, you are indeed correct, Sir Knight” A voice calmly resounded from somewhere in front of us.

Looking up the large stone staircase, a figure gracefully stepped down, dressed in a white robe. “These are called Torii gates. As you have said, they lay at the entrance of shrines, specifically, Shinto shrines in Japan. They possess multiple meanings… though that was not your question, was it?” The woman tilted her head and smiled, her posture and lower face awash with purity. I am sure her eyes would say the same, were it possible to see them.

“W-Watch where you step, miss! You can’t see in front of you with that blindfold on!” I warned, sticking out an arm.

The woman seemed to continue walking perfectly normally, completely at ease. “Do not be concerned. I can tread these paths without so much as an issue, even with my eyes obscured” She smiled, reaching the bottom of the staircase. “As for the two of you… you are unfamiliar to me, as of right now… though I do know what you have been through…”

“What we’ve been through?” I asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

“Of course, young man… I believe the two of you are… familiar with war and strife, am I not correct?”

“That… would be correct, miss. We have fought before” Gawain nodded, his posture stern- it was clear to me that he was concerned. I wouldn't blame him. The woman was an almost perfect representation of this temple: Hauntingly Beautiful. White robes, embroidered with gold threads, inlaid with symbols. A thick black strip of cloth wrapped around her eyes many times, obscuring her vision. Ribbons flowing from a White-Gold Gorget-like accessory around her neck, flowing with her movements and the wind. Her hair was pale-teal and reminiscent of ectoplasm.

“Ah… poor, poor, warriors… no one should have to go through ruthless battle” The woman shook her head. “It is most upsetting to know that you have been through that- you have my condolences for any losses you have had to endure- I am sure the Lord has accepted them in his loving arms”

“As do we, miss. Let us dispense with the unpleasant thoughts: who might you be?” I asked.

“Who might I be? I am Hana Amakusa, I am called the Ultimate Apostle, by most, though I am also referred to as the Ultimate Hierophant, by a select group- it is a pleasure to meet you” Her words slithered through the air.

An Apostle… a Hierophant. Someone who might be considered an important cornerstone in the religions of the world, it appeared. One of, if not the highest, ecclestial authorities in the church.

“Aha, I see! I am Arthur Pendragon, the Ultimate King. This is Gawain, my Knight” I introduced the two of us, bowing my head. “A pleasure to meet you, miss Amakusa”

“Ah-! And so I see… you are the one” Hana’s eyebrows raised in sudden interest. “The young Holy King… yes, I have heard of you- and your knights as well, of course. I cannot hear of one without the other, in these times” She chuckled, tucking her arms into the opposite’s sleeves.

“Hahaha! Well, we are simply synonymous with each other! We are extensions of our King’s will, and shall see his orders through to their conclusion!” Gawain laughed heartily with a bright smile.

“I understand, Knight of the Sun, Gawain. That aside, it is a pleasure to meet both of you face to face like this… though it must be said, I would have preferred a more… ideal circumstance” Hana lowered her head, turning it to the side as she began to mumble.

“On the bright side, this location is quite idyllic, no? The Sun shining, trees swaying, the great tranquillity of nature surrounding us all!” Gawain announced with enthusiasm.

“Perhaps that may be true, Knight of the Sun, Gawain. Unfortunately, I cannot view such sights… for you see, I am blindfolded- willingly, of course. There is a reason for this, I assure you”

“Understandable, miss Amakusa- do as you please, if it brings you satisfaction, though I must ask- have you… discovered anything at all?” I asked.

“I have discovered nothing of note, Holy King. The shrine is peaceful- the serenity and life of this shrine is just as regular as any other. However, I can feel the flames of life not too far from here- I must assume quite a large gathering of people are not too far from here- perhaps there are a few buildings there?” Hana explained, taking an arm and pointing along another path that led out of the small grove.

“I-I see! Well… I suppose we’ll just have to leave you to it, Miss Apostle. We shall investigate” I responded, nodding.

“Very well. Farewell, Holy King, and farewell, Knight of the Sun. I shall continue to pray here for everyone’s safety, here, in this ruined Temple”

With that, Hana made her way back up the staircase, taking some odd head ornaments and putting them over her ears. From what I could tell, she seemed to also pull up a mask, of some degree. The reasoning for it was something I could only vaguely comprehend.

“Why, the young lady Amakusa is most certainly an odd one, is she not?” Gawain joked as we began to walk away.

“I suppose so. I must wonder about the purpose of that blindfold, and the things that she put over her ears and mouth. It is most concerning, to me” I said. Gawain seemed to nod in agreement, scratching his chin.

“I have certainly not heard it to be a teaching of the Catholic religion, or any religion I have heard of, for that matter” He replied, shaking his head. “Though I suppose that is how they are- we should not judge them for it”

“Absolutely, my king! Now then… let us follow their advice, and make haste!” Gawain began to slowly jog along the path. After a moment, I followed behind him, slowly making our way out of the grove.


	4. Prologue: Valley of Despair- Swordsmith and Beautician

Going off of Hana’s advice, we soon found ourselves out of the forest, and finally, into a large clearing bordered by steep cliffs. Across slight inclines traversable by staircases, there were multiple buildings; however, most appeared to be derelict ruins, with nothing more left to them than their foundation, with the notable exception of three, that seemed to remain at least somewhat intact. Debris littered the area, from small splinters of wood, to stone cracked into tiny cobbles.

“Almost like a bandit raid…” Gawain shuddered, looking away.

I sighed. The two of us had seen sights similar to these before, many times, in fact. Yet still, I had hope that this was simply a recreation of such an event, rather than a literal ransacking.

“I see no remaining fire, and more notably, I see no blood- I believe that no one was harmed, at the very least” I attempted to reassure Gawain, my own brow lowered.

“That is relieving to hear, but… it does not get any easier” He shook his head, and soon raised it up high again, chuckling. “Well, I cannot remain saddened for long! Let us see what there is to be used here, my king. If we are lucky, something that might assist with our escape should be here”.

I nodded with stalwart resolve, and the two of us walked into the first building. One to our immediate left upon entering what looked to be a Town Square.

The first we entered seemed to be a run-down restaurant of some description. It was fairly large, but the building seemed to have collapsed further inside, blocking our entry into a larger space. We were left with a simple counter, waiting area, and storeroom, looking beyond the counter.

“Am I really so interesting that you must pester me, Mongrel?” a familiarly arrogant voice hissed.

King stood in the restaurant, having a scuffle with a woman clad in bright colours. I recalled that she was the one who was incredibly vocal in mocking King, back where we first met Monokuma. Beyond the counter, a burly silver-haired man was cooking, seemingly trying to ignore the people bickering in front of him.

“Don’t flatter yourself! I know you! I fucking know you, I know it! You’re from some nasty place! Just give it up!” she barked angrily.

“If you know me from some boorish location, then you are sorely mistaken. If you know me, then by all means… say my name” King challenged, arms crossed, his posture calm, but his face a Storm.

“...Eh?” The woman raised an eyebrow in surprise. She seemed to go quiet for a moment.

“Say. My. Name. Do you not understand simple words?” he continued to challenge. “Hmph. Perhaps calling you a beast would be appropriate”

The woman was unable to answer, and finally lowered her shoulders and head in defeat.

“And there is your answer. You do not know me. Kindly do not make me repeat myself again” He snorted.

“Then why are you hiding your name?!” She exclaimed, pointing a finger forward at him suddenly.

“She’ got a point, you know. You not sharin’ y’ name makes ‘y suspicious, it’s a tad dif’rent wi’ me” The Silver-haired boy chimed in nonchalantly, still working on the food. “Besides, her NOT knowin’ ‘ye name don’t exactly null ‘er point- still coulda jus’ seen ‘ye”

King sighed, standing there for a moment. The boy was right, to some degree. “I will not provide my True Name. You have not so much as earned a letter of it, you fool” He spoke slowly, almost as if he was speaking to children. “Now then… I care not to give you further time- foolish mongrels, learn your place and learn it soon, lest you find yourself in a place you do not wish to be, nor belong” King finished, walking out the door briskly next to us.

“Whateva… ‘ey! Lads in the fancy armour! Sorry ‘ya had ‘t see that! What can I get ‘ya? I’m cookin’ here!” The man behind the counter waved over to us, welcoming us over.

“No, no, it’s quite fine. If we have our way, we’ll be out soon anyway!” Gawain politely declined the offer of food, laughing, as we approached.

“Haha! Wish I had your optimism, y’ huge bastard, you!” The Silver-haired man jabbed Gawain’s shoulder with his fist playfully, smirking.

“Optimism is one of the key factors of a Knight! To inspire hope in others!” Gawain chuckled, pounding one of his gigantic fists into his armoured chest. “I cannot allow myself to be a negative example!”

“Ahhh, so that armour’s not just for show, eh?” The man replied. “Guess that makes sense, ‘ya don’t see people jus’ walkin’ ‘round like that these days- so I heard, anyhow, don’t really go walking around in places wi’ many people”

“Ah, this is not for show at all, my friend! I’m the Ultimate Knight, Gawain Galatine! And this is my liege, Arthur Pendragon, the Ultimate King!” Gawain introduced the two of us, gesturing an arm to me.

“Gawain and King Arthur eh…?” The man seemed to suppress a snicker. “Well whatever! I’m… well…” The man seemed to lose his jokey grin for a moment, fumbling over his words, not seeming to know what to say.

“Is there an issue, sir?” Gawain asked, concerned.

“Well, uhhhh... sorry, ‘ya Huge Bastard but… I dunno m’ name y’see?” He admitted, scratching his head of frazzled hair.

“You do not know your own name…? How might that be the case? I would not think it’s something you would simply forget” I sighed, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeh… for some reason, it just up and vanished. Real weird. Not everyday ‘ya just forget somethin’ like that, as ‘ya royal highness says”

“Well then… perhaps we might have another name we may call you by?” Gawain asked. “We will need to call you something, after all, sir”

“I dunno, nothing much, really. Something that makes sense, I guess, for what I am. I’m the Ultimate Swordsmith, if that helps!” He chuckled through gritted teeth, rustling a large hand through his hair again.

The man we now had met was stubby but strong, almost like a Dwarf in his Body Type. He had light golden-brown skin, though it seemed less natural than one would think- in some areas, I could even go as far as to call his skin a ‘sickly necrotic’ brown tone. His White hair was explosive, incredibly spikey and poofy, falling behind him almost like he had white hay stuck to his back. He wore a White Fire Blanket on his Left side and very little other than that. His Chest was exposed and his clothing consisted mostly of large slabs of leather sewn together to make something that would be practical in holding things and covering the upper arm. He had baggy trousers, and Red Fire Blankets around his waist, almost like a small skirt or something of that description. A name for a man like him… I could not even begin to think of one, if I drew from his ragged appearance.

“Well… from my own knowledge… there are many Blacksmiths we might name you after! Vulcan, Hephaestus, Wayland…” Gawain Suggested. “There is quite a wealth, so let us consider them all!”

“Well, uh, Huge Bastard but…” the Swordsmith scratched his chin that sprouted mismatched whiskers as he fumbled over his words. “Uhh I’m Japanese, see- I ain’t lookin’ for no fancy Western name, no offense…” He replied. “Something Jap, thanks”

The woman leant on the counter and tapped her chin, pupils looking almost ready to roll under her eyelids, seemingly focused on searching for a name. ”Hmm… some sort of Swordsmith…” She mumbled, her free hand now beginning to clack at the counter with her large, manicured fingernails. “I’m not exactly FROM Japan, but I’ve heard of a few. How about… Masamune? He’s one that gets referenced a lot in books and all that. Or like… Muramasa?”

The Man snapped his fingers almost instantly as the woman mentioned the name.

“Bingo: Muramasa sounds cool, I can work with that” He replied to the woman with a cheesy white grin on his face. “Owe ‘ya one, lass” He chuckled.

“Then Muramasa it is!” Gawain cheered, patting the man’s shoulder with a titanic hand. “Well then, Muramasa, a pleasure to meet you properly!” Gawain moved his hand in front of him as to indicate a Handshake, which Muramasa shook with a strong grip.

“Likewise, ‘Ya huge ba-uhh… Gawain” Muramasa looked away for a moment. “Sorry ‘bout that… formality and all that’s not really my thing”

“Now that is taken care of, I must wonder… Why are you in a Kitchen? I would’ve thought a Swordsmith would be elsewhere” I asked. “I wouldn’t think it typical for one such as you to work with cuisine”

“No big ‘ol reason, really. I just… like cookin’, is all. In fact, I was workin’ on some just a moment ago. Lass over there was apparently a bit hungry an’ all that. Felt it was a good idea to at least try the equipment all out, y'know? ‘Course, some things changed when the gold prick came in- stopped dead in my tracks, for a bit” Muramasa explained, scratching his ear. "Once I got used to their racket, I went right back t' work" 

“...Ah, I see” I responded plainly. I hadn't taken him for the culinary type, with the way he was dressed and his gruff demeanour. It was surprising, but oddly refreshing. I couldn’t say I felt particularly safe around him, with his quite… barbaric, look, but… I had a feeling he wasn’t exactly the type to make a mountain out of a molehill, as it were.

“Tch, it was just ‘cuz… I swear I’ve seen that lousy punk somewhere before... “ The woman hissed, looking away, her eyes lit with a sort of primal anger.

“I see, then perhaps you’ve seen him before?” I asked, attempting not to start off on the wrong foot- she seemed like the type to whom First Impressions meant just about everything.

“He did… something. It’s a rough patch in my head” She explained, sighing. “Frankly, if it’s someone like him, I wouldn’t be surprised that it was something bad. He’s got bad news written all over him, if you ask me” She continued, looking down at the table before looking back up at my face, where she seemed to freeze for a moment. 

“Cute” She said plainly, her eyes calmly narrowing, almost as if she was about to sleep there on the spot.

“What…?” I replied, off guard. I took a step backwards but the woman took a step forward, taking us back to square 1.

“Cute. Cutie, Sugarmuffin, Sweetie, whatever! Trying to say you’re adorable” She explained in an almost factual manner, all the while seemingly ogling my face, massaging her chin with an immaculate hand. 

As one would surmise from a flirtatious type, the woman was rather beautiful, with a well-toned body and a balance of features one could only call godly. Her dull red hair and eyes gave the impression of anything but godly: more demonic, yet those features only served to increase her beauty, when combined with her attire and eyeshadow. She dressed in an almost fantastical outfit, with clearly intentionally placed holes to show a feature of them.

Perhaps I would have thought her truly attractive were she not acting like a ravenous predator, at the moment…

“Ahem, Arthur is a King. I’d advise not going as far to even attempt to make him uncomfortable, miss” Gawain said, putting a large arm between us. The woman stepped back.

“Hehe… the Responsibility and possible Forbidden Love just makes it better…” She smirked whilst winking at me. I had… mixed feelings, to put it lightly. It was clearly something that I had to be cautious about- they seemed to be the unpredictable type.

“You should perhaps at least give me your name before you begin flirting” I replied bluntly. In the face of someone who has confidence, you must simply show you, too, possess a similar level of it, is what I believe. She seemed taken aback for a moment, but almost instantly regained her relaxed composure. I must have subverted one of her assumptions, though she didn’t seem terribly upset by it. In fact--perhaps my belief in how to deal with confident people had just backfired on me. 

“Hhmhm… sure, cutie. I’ll cut the flirting and all that out for now” She smirked as her voice slithered through the air, the tone betraying her words. “ I’m Innana Annuea, the Ultimate Beautician. I look forward to getting to know you real well, pretty boy!”

Innana jokingly tapped me on the back. She seemed quite hands-on. Something that made me conclude she would be quite clingy. It could pose an issue...

"Ahem! Well Lady Annuea, I believe that we'd best be off! If there is nothing to find out, here, then of course, that is only natural, yes?" Gawain coughed, attempting to be courteous. 

"Weeeell I'm sure that we can find out all sorts-" Inanna was interrupted by a loud cough, this time, from behind the counter. 

"There's nothing outta the ordinary here, fellas, you can move along" Muramasa replied. "Whatever Inanna's talking about ain't discovering shit about the situation" 

"Wha-?! You traitor!" Inanna retorted, pointing an accusatory finger towards Muramasa. 

"Lass, I betrayed no one" Muramasa grunted. "Now siddown, I made something" 

Listening to the way Muramasa spoke reminded me of some sort of old man who was running out of patience. The thought made me smile. 

"Sorry, fellas, but I din't make 'nuff for more than me an’ the Lass, here. Though if ya are gonna keep going, suppose that don't matter. If ya find a way out, just run by an’ tell us. I'll be right ‘ere". 

I nod. "Thank you, Muramasa. Let us meet again when we tell you of our way out!" 

It was then the two of us turned on our heels and slowly made our way out of the restaurant.

"Well, my king… That was… certainly interesting.,wouldn't you say?" he asked with a lighthearted chuckle. 

"Indeed it was… my, my, I had certainly not expected such a thing. These people seem to be incredibly unique in their own way" I replied. 

Inanna Annuea, and Muramasa… an overly clingy Beautician and a gruff Swordsmith.


	5. Prologue: Valley of Despair- Talk Show Host and Playwright

After meeting such a pair as Muramasa and Inanna, we knew we would only find more... eccentric people, as we continued. So why not go to where eccentrics primarily make their appearance: the library? The entryway was broken down, with a tattered carpet across the floor and the walls seemingly faded. Glass shards covered the floor by shattered windows. 

Entering inside, the building seemed to also share similarities with a library,with walls covered in tattered books. However… It appeared to have been destroyed not just outside but inside. Shelves toppled, torn up pages and covers on the floor in heaps.

"Almost like someone was looking for something…" Gawain sighed, inspecting the pile. 

"Then something was here…" I murmured, scratching my chin. If something was here, there was really only one person who would go looking for something…

"Monokuma…" Gawain groaned. "that bear is certainly what one might call 'a pain in the neck', wouldn't you say?" He said, tacking on a slight chuckle at the end.

“Indeed he is…” I reply, shaking my head. “That is beside the point: What was here before is gone, we cannot change that. Let us continue on- there is likely others here”

  
Sure enough… we’d soon find my hunch was correct.

“Ahaha! Fancy seeing you here, Acquaintance ‘O mine! Such fickle ‘a finger doth fate possess!” A bearded man bellowed from the bottom of his heart, his sporadic movements matching his equally grandiose voice.

“Good to see you, too, Danny boy! Let’s keep lookin’ around, ‘kay? There’s gotta be something important here!” A Purple Haired woman said with a determined smile on her face, a slight trace of a cocky grin even visible.

The two people seemed to have particularly… expressive, or perhaps it’d be better to say, outgoing personalities. They seemed to be familiar with each other before this mess, much like myself and Gawain.

“And oho! Ye who wonders, see I, and the friend at mine side! Well, wondrous well-wishers, speaketh thy names and let us be merry!”

Both of us were dumbfounded. 

The man spoke with a tongue of silver that slithered like a snake, serendipitously sewing his sounds like a fine weave. It felt impossible to so much as comprehend him. To top it off, he tended to use older English vernacular. Quite a problem, indeed.

“For the non-English Majors in the room, he’s just saying introduce yourselves!” The woman said, putting a hand to the side of her mouth as she spoke clearly and loudly- her movements and her voice were at complete opposites. One of discretion, and one that seemed to alert all.

Gawain looked over to the woman, and was slightly transfixed for a moment. His brow began to ruffle until a revelation came to him. His eyes widened, and he looked back to me. “My King… count yourself lucky that Lancelot is not here in my stead” Gawain spoke seriously.

“Why would that be, Gawain…?” I asked, slightly concerned. Gawain was staring intensely at the woman, I assumed because he recognised her, to some extent. From good or bad, I couldn’t discern- though it did have me curious.

The woman possessed long, flowing purple hair and bright magenta eyes, alike to the leotard-like top that clung close to her body. The sides of the hips, her bellybutton and her shoulders were all exposed, with a low cut neck hole that revealed just enough to be both modest and attractive. She wore a long Pencil skirt that went down slightly above her knees, where black stockings trailed down to a pair of crimson heels. Her face was full of youth and innocence, yet carried a mature and devious flair, as well, a walking contradiction.

“Because… HE WOULD HAVE ABANDONED YOU HERE AND NOW TO FLIRT WITH THIS YOUNG WOMAN!” Gawain proclaimed boldly to the room, his voice booming across this empty shell of a library. 

I was not quite sure at the time, whether his outburst was due to knowing Lancelot’s interests, or if he was rather just projecting.

The woman seemed taken aback, at first, taking a step back due to Gawain’s loud proclamation. She regained her composure quickly, making it seem like her unintended movements were wholly intentional.

“Ooooh? So you recognise me from a friend, eeeh? So does that mean you know who I am?” The woman blinked, leaning forward, hands behind her back, smiling.

“Ahem… yes, that he is, if you are who I believe you are, at least” Gawain coughed, burying his head in his elbow. 

“Hmmm? Well, who am I then~?” the woman leaned in close to Gawain, leaving a respectable amount of space between their faces. “C’mooon, don’t be shy~” She teased, sticking out her tongue. “I’m sure it’s nothing TOOOO difficult to say, right? 3 syllables, not a difficult spelling… no way you can mess up the pronunciation, either!”

“...Ai-Ai Chan. That’s your nickname, is it not?” Gawain murmured under his breath.

Gawain seemed to be embarrassed just saying the same. Frankly, I couldn’t blame him, from my own perspective. It appeared like a silly name, though frankly, I’d heard of similar ‘stage names’ that were just as absurd if not more, so… it didn’t surprise me that such a name would exist. Though why would it be considered embarrassing? The name itself, or the things it represented?

“Ding ding ding! Bingo! We have a winneeeeeeeeer!” Ayako announced, cupping her hands around the sides of her mouth to project it further. “The name’s Ayako Aisaka, the Ultimate Talk Show Host! Buuuut I’m usually called Ai-Ai Chan by my fans!”

“I am… afraid I do not follow...” I admitted. To be frank, I was not someone who found himself knowledgeable about the rest of the world. I tended to keep to my own countries interests and engagements… which were nothing remotely close to something as that.

“Aha! Unfamiliar? Then allow me to enlighten ye, o’ candle of firm wax!” The bearded man began to speak.

  
“Nah, nah… it’d just get lost in translation. Basically… I just talk about random stuff and people like it! Though I also go really off the bars with physical humour and all that!” Ayako interrupted, snapping her fingers.

“Ahaha… I see. Well, I suppose I didn’t understand because I am quite unfamiliar. Most hosts would be dressing more… fancy, from my incredibly limited experience” I said, scratching my head. From a host, I’m sure that it was highly different to the kind I was thinking of. Barons and the like would host gatherings of such things...

“Ahhh, I get it! Well, here ‘ya go! I’m just dressed like this! I could be all fancy, but to hell with that, that’s just not relatable! I mean, I’m all about making the thing feel relaxed and casual, y’know?”

“Ah, then perhaps I should dress more like my citizens when I give speeches-”

“No, my King. That is… a completely different story” Gawain interrupted. “With all due respect, I recommend remaining at your current formal attire, at the very least”

“Ah… understood, Gawain” I nodded back, slightly disappointed. It WOULD have been nice to try it at least once...

“Still! I think you’re neglecting the guy to my side!” Ayako said, gesturing over to the Bearded Man.

“And so you claim the name that is my companion’s, yet ye hast not revealed thine own, so tell us, ye who clank in Silver and Steel, what might the name ye possess be?” the man declared.

“Oh! Oh! Lemme guess!... if I’m thinking correctly… you’re Arthur Pendragon, making you… one of his knights! And if I recall… Gawain Galatine, from when you went and stood up to King” Ayako hypothesised rather sharply.

“Indeed, that’s correct!” Gawain confirmed. “Quite a sharp eye you have, Lady Aisaka!”

“Yahoo! Another one right!” Ayako pumped her fist into the air in victory. “I gotta know aaaaall the big figures, y’know? It’s just part of knowing stuff to talk about!”

“And now I do see, A Knight and his Holy King, A wonderful pair!” the man nodded to himself constantly as he spoke, seemingly quite happy with such a thing.

“Judging by your demeanor and the like… I must suppose you are some kind of linguist or perhaps some sort of writer?” I questioned, looking to the man’s face.

“You are very much close, I’m Danford Apollinaire, a Playwright, is I!” Danford announced.

Danford was tall, with a full face beard. His hair could only be described as ‘wild but tidy’ with his hair slicked back in a similar manner to King’s, but unlike King, it was quite obvious he was less thorough, having multiple strands fall to a wrinkled brow, only a few millimetres from his beady eyes. His face was angular and carried a roguish charm, with his face ‘perfectly imperfect’. Every small imperfection in his face contributed to this ‘wild but refined’ charm. He seemed like a man who didn’t particularly spend a lot of time making himself look his best.

He wore a suit with an almost garishly bright colour, his tie a crimson red, emblazoned with a golden quill. Various pins lined the suit. His trousers were loose-fitting and a light grey, his waist having a sort of holster for the large book he held in his left hand, covered in wrist-length gloves. 

With every flourish of his arms, the clothes under the suit jacket were revealed to be just as bizarre. He wore suspenders linked to his book holsters by a golden ring, and his undershirt was a deep brown with a golden lining. This would’ve been normal, had the shirt not been covered with various blobs of many different colours.

“Danford Apollinaire… aha! I’ve heard of your plays before!” Gawain smiled.

“Bet you have! ‘Ol Danny boy over here’s written modern classics! He wrote a little play called ‘The Adversities of Alexandros’ you see!” She explained, annunciating the title with a deep and grandiose tone.

“Aha! Even I have heard of that one. I must say, I find your technique incredible, and even fascinating! The way you composed the script, then, when you first brought it to life… yes, ‘wonderful’ is but the only word I can give!” I spoke passionately, my words dripping with awe.

“Haha! I thank you, fine sir! It is great to one such as yourself who values mine own work! Though you need not flatter me further! No, perhaps I should be the one to flatter you! I could not imagine myself a King worthy of the ‘Ultimate’ Title! I could only imagine mineself a King of Theatre, and if not, then a King of Jesters!”

“If you insist, then I shall gladly take your praise. I thank you. Now, then, to business! Have you found anything worthwhile? We’re still looking for an exist”

“Can’t say we have! Y’know, all these books just straight up tossed on the floor… probably had something at least useful, but… guess we’ll never know! It’s all a bit weird”

“An Enigma wrapped in mystery, one might say!” Danford added with his regular flair.

“So there’s no signs of this place being useful any time soon?” I asked in a disappointed tone.

“Noooope! Not anytime soon at least!” Ayako stated casually, arms behind her head as she strolled around the clear section.

“Quite a bother… it appears out foe has been very well prepared for this” Gawain grunted.

“Indeed! Our nemesis is cautious, and as sly as a Fox to match, I am sure!” Danford said. “Ah, so frustrating and yet so intriguing, this Valley is!”

“Is there anything else of interest in the Town Square? I recall a third building, but is it just as barren as this?” I asked, as to avoid wasting our time.

“Aha, indeed there is some relevance in that final building! A wonderful little clinic, where the Iron Angel continues to toil!” Danford answered.

“Mmm… yeah! It’s a little clinic. All the equipment is busted up, but it’s worth a look anyhow, if you ask me” Ayako explained more simply.

“Very well, then we shall leave with haste!” Gawain nodded.

“Indeed. It’s been a pleasure, the both of you. For now, farewell! Please, do tell us if you discover anything”

“Yep! Seeya round!” Ayako waved.

“Farewell, dear new acquaintances! Stay safe, prithee you do not meet a terrible fate!” Danford laughed heartily as we began to leave.

We left the library and headed out into the Town Square. The final building, the supposed Clinic, was on top of a small hill and looked over the square like a hawk over the land. 

Counting ourselves, we had knowledge of over Half of the people here with us now… it just made me continue to wonder… what was everyone else like?


	6. Prologue: Valley of Despair- Charity Worker and Surgeon

We finally decided to venture into the building on the hill, the doors forever stuck open. They seemed to be opened electronically, and the area seemed to previously have some degree of cleanliness to it. From what I could tell, it was a Clinic, of some description. The rooms were derelict, with crushed cabinets and eviscerated equipment. The tiles were cracked and plant life began to overrun them, causing the room to run amok with green lines of Moss.

We entered the clinic to find two people, one sat in a chair, and the other dashing about, seemingly sterilising multiple pieces of equipment.

The one dashing about was a woman, dressed in a burgundy suit with a white button-up below it, all buttoned up and neat, with a red tie that fell from the neck without so much as a crease. However, that was not the only thing around her neck. A surgical mask laid on top of it rather neatly, and between them, a lanyard. It was then I noticed some of the other features of her attire, like her white gloves. In fact, the Suit seemed to conceal something more, as a whole.

The other, a man in a chair, seemed almost dead. He was incredibly tall, being almost Gawain or Kintarou’s height, however, unlike either of those incredibly muscular individuals, he possessed no muscle to speak of. He seemed almost like a Skeleton, with his pale skin hanging off like there was no flesh underneath. His short, unkempt hair was a ghostly white, his entire body seemingly devoid of all pigment. His eyes were a milky pink, with brown irises- seemingly the only true proof that the man wasn’t Albino- just heavily deficient. He seemed to wear little more than a tattered black tracksuit and shoes, both littered with holes.

“You’re sick, do you not understand? That’s not even vaguely a clean bill of health, Mr Suzuki!” The woman scolded, pointing her finger accusingly and leaning over the man who was laid back on the operating chair. Looking on at the man… there would be no need for a medical diagnosis to tell you he was ill- it was plainly written over his appearance.

“I am already aware of my multiple health issues, Miss Samegawa. Please, do not waste your time concerning yourself over me” He replied plainly, his face displaying little emotion behind his words- he seemed almost jaded, from my perspective.

“I cannot do that! I _must_ help those who I deem my patients, I must! There is no other option!” The woman retorted. She seemed to be the dutiful, or perhaps diligent, sort. We may have some relative common ground, in that sense.

“...You can just give me prescription medicines then or… Vitamins or something, if anything is here” He said. “If it’ll ease your mind, then so be it. I do not aim to cause trouble for others”

“No, no, no! That just won’t do! Look at yourself, Mr Suzuki! You’re in Death’s shadow!” She refused. “A few simple Vitamins or Medicines will do nothing! This requires an incredibly high amount of surgery and _many_ lifestyle changes!!”

“I walk that path all the time. There is no need. Again, I require only the Vitamins, or nothing at all. It is fine. Besides, others may require them more than me-”

“Not a chance! Mr Suzuki, I’ve not seen a single person in my entire Medical Career with as bad a bill of health as yours, and I’ve seen some _pretty_ major wounds!” She said, her voice becoming more indignant by the second.

“...if it will put your mind at ease” The man relented, laying back calmly in the chair.

Their argument finished, the woman began to search through the cabinets again. Likely for some materials for that ‘surgery’ she mentioned. She quickly noticed our presence and turned over to face us.

“Ah visitors, I see! Welcome to the Clinic, I’m just helping Mr Suzuki, here, I’ll be with you when I’m done” She spoke in a welcoming manner, but it was clearly shadowed by professionality.

“I’m afraid we aren’t quite here for any medical help, miss!” Gawain replied. “A simple case of exploration”.

“Understandable, considering the situation” She spoke whilst fumbling through the broken cabinets. She didn’t seem to waste time when it came to speaking, continuing at her regular efficiency.

“As was I until I met miss Samegawa here- now she’s treating me”

“...Though my priorities are slightly off course, due to the condition this man is in” She turned back to face the man. “Besides, Mr Suzuki, this is for your own benefit. There is no need to resist, there is no great looming problem with taking medical attention. It simply makes no logical sense not to take it!”

“I suppose I must repeat myself again… I am doing this because those very same things may become incredibly valuable later down the line. It would be foolhardy to use them now if I am perfectly fine. It would help others in the long run, and as the Ultimate Charity Worker, Kariya Suzuki, I must do just that”

“But you aren’t helping anyone! It’s just… foolish!”

“Perhaps not at this moment, but the materials that go into that surgery which I would have had now could benefit another’s life, no? So why should I take them?”

“I just… argh, there’s no need to be so difficult, you know? It’ll be fine, alright? I’m sure there’s plenty enough”

“We shall suffice without them: consider it like our own form of charity to you” Gawain added to the woman’s argument.

We watched as the woman brought several pieces of equipment to a small table on the side of the chair and expertly began to examine his vitals and the like. She seemed focused, but it was worth asking, so that we could leave her in peace now and leave the two to their surgery, or whatever they planned to eventually do.

“So miss… who are you exactly? a … nurse, a nutritionist?” I asked, finally allowing myself to speak

“Hmm…? Almost. I’m a Surgeon, though I am proficient with all sorts of medical things like that… I’m Yui Samegawa, by the way, it’s best to get it all out of the way at once”

“A Surgeon? An admirable talent and profession, I must say. I am Arthur, and this is Gawain”

“I see… so when that King person said something along the lines of the Knight’s king being here, he meant you?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. She seemed ever so slightly puzzled, but perhaps she came to recognise that I was, indeed, the King of a nation.

“That he did, I suppose” I replied, giving a short sigh. “I did not intend to bring such things to attention- frankly, I would have preferred not to say, in some sense… though I cannot believe that people such as you would be so unintelligent as to not put two and two together, as well as possibly recognise my face… and being a liar is not something I want to be”

“I see… that is much to process…” Yui huffed, before shaking her head, as if to relieve some sort of weight. “Well then, I am about to get started, if I can get Mr Suzuki ready. If I might ask for some privacy?” Yui gestured to the door with a knitted brow. They seemed to take the idea of talking to such an important person rather seriously, but stood their own ground.

“That is fine, we shall see you both shortly, anyhow. We’re going to continue looking for a way out” Gawain replied, having seen what little there was remaining of the clinic already. “Farewell, for now!”

“Seeya… wish me luck with dealing with this girl” Kariya waved goodbye from his seat, looking slightly defeated.

I waved as me and Gawain left the small Medical cabin, heading out back into the town square. We were about to plot out our next move. Where could we go now? I didn’t see a path, or any indication that there was a path from here... but then Gawain noticed something.

“My King, among the trees! I believe I see ruined houses!” Gawain pointed to one of the deserted paths, and hidden among the trees and bushes, were large masses of stone and wood. “Perhaps we might at the very least find some kind of clue as to what’s going on around there?”

I nodded. “Perhaps we might- it is more ruins… though I have doubts that there will be much remaining around there… frankly, Gawain, I… cannot say I have the most confidence that we will find anything”

Gawain gave a simple hearty chuckle at my defeatist talk. “Now, now, My King, let us try and keep our chins up! We have not seen everything- and either way, it may at least be a guide to take us to where we might find something!”

“I… suppose that is true! Yes, Gawain- I suppose you are right. Let us continue onwards, then- through the trees!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we've met Yui and Kariya, now! We've got only 4 more people to go... wonder what they'll be like, eh?
> 
> That being said, This note was actually created a good while after the chapter was posted- this is because I wanted to say that Kariya's Picrew has actually been updated! I thought he looked a tad bland (And, to be honest, pretty uninspired) so I switched up how his looks a bit, and now he looks more... I dunno, older? He definitely has that 'washed up' look, which I always thought of him having. To be honest, I've never been able to imagine Kariya not being utterly drenched like he's been out in the rain, or something XD


	7. Prologue: Valley of Despair- Philosopher

Heading through the trees and undergrowth, myself and Gawain found ourselves in a most peculiar area.

A long row of ruined houses- rubble, torn asunder by some malignant force, no doubt- it was clearly intentional, due to the fact that nowhere else was damaged- or at the very least, whatever happened here was patched over by nature.

“My, my… there’s not so much as a few bricks of foundation left for most of these…” I murmured, glancing around. “What a sorry state such places have found themselves in at these times…”

“Indeed… it seems the desolation has surpassed the Town Square” Gawain nodded solemnly, taking a small look around one of the wreckages.

“I do not believe you should bother with such things” A voice rang out. 

Looking around, I did not see its origin, until I found myself looking at a man sitting on top of a titanic root. He seemed to dress with a vaguely Japanese style, with a plain white robe with green lining. Underneath that robe, however, it seemed to appear that he wore a regular white button-up, with some black trousers underneath- he also wore a large dark blue cloak with red ropes that formed a flower-like ornament. The man tied his dark blue hair in a large, but rather short, braid that rested on his shoulder, and furthermore, had little pin-like objects that seemed to hold it at the back of his head. Behind some black sunglasses were some beady orange eyes.

“Well, greetings, friend! Might you tell us why we should not?” I asked inquisitively. In response, the man simply laughed, his face seeming to be almost sleazy. 

“Well- I think that goes without saying, frankly. You’ll find nothing here- not what you’re looking for. Furthermore, I do not believe you’ll even find anything remotely interesting, unless cracked stone and splintered timbers are your forte- though I do not believe that is correct. Are they, King Arthur?”

The man’s tone revealed all there was to see of him- he was quite a fan of mockery, and very antagonistic. The man seemed to get his kicks out of riling other people up, in his pastime.

“I do not believe that to be the case whatsoever, my friend! There may be nothing here, true, but that does not mean it was worthless- leaving a stone unturned in this situation is something I believe to be rather dangerous” Gawain retorted with a fine enough tone. Knowing him personally, I was certain that he wasn’t taking too kindly to his mindset.

“I suppose in the restricted context that is your own life- or perhaps we might expand the scope to the people involved in this fiasco? Or maybe even further… to the people that will be affected by the fact of certain people being involved in it. Then yes- perhaps it may have an impact- perhaps you may see that choice to… ‘matter’- though in the end… does it?”

The method of thinking the man seemed to ascribe to reminded me much of one of my own knights- Sir Tristan. A Nihilist- though unlike my knight, it appeared to be that he had a very different means of expressing it… such philosophies tend to come in their own forms and variations due to the experiences of the individual, I suppose...

“It may not matter through a lens as wide and all-encompassing as the universe- yet I cannot say that invalidates each little decision, and I cannot concede that in any capacity” I replied, looking to the boy’s beady eyes behind his sunglasses.

His reply began with a narrowing of his facial features. “I do not mean to say that it is BAD, to do so… more so that… if you expect it your decision to truly impact to a point of being forever imprinted- that is pointless. To strive for greatness is pointless- to try and be remembered is pointless. Living your day-to-day life as it comes is perfectly acceptable, but in the end, it is ultimately pointless- logically speaking, you WILL eventually fade. I say that as a Logician, and as the Ultimate Philosopher”

“Ultimate Philosopher? I would not have thought a purely Nihilistic person would be considered such a thing” Gawain chimed in, scratching his chin. The man’s philosophy was… odd, to say the least. Was it even sensical?

“Hm- I was given such a title for some of my other personal philosophies. People seem to… misinterpret what I say” He said, but then proceeded to cross his arms. “No… there is no ‘correct’ interpretation- only the intention of the speaker. What lessons you gleam from such a thing could be deemed as equally valid as the intention- just as it is in literature”

It was then it seemed to dawn on me exactly why Seisei was deemed the Ultimate Philosopher- outside of his answers on life, and its fragility- he seemed to have rather open ideas about things. Yet still… I could not abide that core world view. It is something that someone shouldn’t ever think. They should never believe that they are useless, or that what they do does not matter- it is a bad mindset for getting the most out of the life they had been blessed with.

“I cannot agree with your worldview. Doubtless, it shall be something that shall continue to be a divider between us. You are dead-set on your perception, as I am on mine. Let us keep it at that whilst we are both still civil” I finally said as well-mannered as I could.

“Hmm…. yes- I suppose you have come to that conclusion. Hmhm… and I could’ve gone on a rant about… a great many things…” He mused aloud, giving a small smirk of his own. “Go on ahead- you will find one thing of note upon this path, but let it be known, there is nothing else beyond this point or here- there is no escape” He explained with cold, unmoving, eyes. “That which you crave is seemingly entirely absent from this valley”

In that moment, he had confirmed my greatest fear- we would be unable to find a real exit. We were well and truly trapped like rats by that… bear.

“I see. I will keep that in mind. Yet still… there are people I have yet to meet. Farewell” I said, nodding my head as I began to walk away briskly, Gawain following closely behind.

“Heh- farewell, I suppose” Seisei replied, a thin grin over his face as we walked away, seemingly returning to just sitting there.


	8. Prologue: Valley of Despair- Police Officer, Strategist and Ninja

We continued along the beaten path of homes until we found ourselves going over a small, rickety, wooden bridge. We had travelled in a horseshoe shape at this point and were now on the other side of the River from the Temple. It was here there was a final set of buildings. They all seemed completely destroyed, barely even an inclination of their existence remaining- just as the square was.

Even more alike to the square, there was an exception. The only exception was a long, 1 storey building. Opening the ornate wooden doors deteriorated with time, we entered what seemed like a large hall.

  
“For meetings, perhaps…?” I asked Gawain, craning my neck around the room.

“Perhaps, my King… let us keep ourselves aware. I am confident that there is at least 3 people in this area” Gawain replied, taking a moment to glance around the room. He was right, in a sense. If everyone kept to the path, then there was 3 people we were yet to see… two of which, I could recall rather cleanly, and the other… I could not.

The roof carried plenty of large holes, as did the walls. The building was a breeding ground for Moss and Shrubbery, the green entangling the rotting timbers and tearing at the floorboards like thin green fingers.

Soon enough, we would find two of our unseen friends. The boy in the Wheelchair and the woman whom seemed to act as his carer… though looking at their means of dress, their talents seem likely to not be intertwined.

The woman pushing the boy around was dressed in a thin white Military coat-like article with gold buttons and turquoise trimming to match the Haori she wore on top of it.Her hair was rather neat, except for perhaps her ponytail, where hair seemed to stick up a bit before trailing down to just under their shoulders. She wore knee-high boots and a miniskirt, and elbow-length gloves to accompany them. On top of their head was a hat with a clear golden badge. Looking to the side of their body, they seemed to have this same badge attached to the left side of their chest.

  
  


The boy in the wheelchair was dressed rather plainly, with the exception of his rather extravagant coat that rested on his left shoulder. His robe seemed to vaguely remind me of one of those hospital gowns they gave patients. He seemed to share the very self-same eyes and hair as the woman pushing him... perhaps, the two were related?

“Do you see anything, Okita?” The boy asked the girl pushing him around, his own eyes cleanly gliding around in their sockets.

“Negative- Can’t say I do, clue-wise…” She replied, sighing. “However…” she soon added, turning her head. “Citizens- do you have anything to say?”

Looking directly at us. It seemed to be that our entry had not gone unnoticed. Of course, I shook my head. “I cannot say that we do, Miss- Exit wise, in the least. That is what I assume you are looking for, as the same as assumedly the rest of us?”

Her face softened. “I see. Alright then… I suppose we’d best introduce ourselves then, huh?” She said with a smile, soon seeming a touch less intense- acting more in tune with the age that they appeared to be.

“I’m Okita Shirasagi, I’m the Ultimate Police Officer, if the badge and hat didn’t give it away” She introduced, tipping her hat as if to gesture to the badge on its front. “And you’re the king that Gawain there serves, yeah?” she asked with a pleasant smile.

I nodded. “Of course- I am Arthur Pendragon, the Ultimate King”. I gave Okita a small courtesy, as to match her very own gesture to me previously: One should always react in kind, no? 

“A pleasure to meet you” I finally concluded, smiling as to demonstrate the sincerity in my message.

“Right… well, I’ve heard of ‘ya then… small country you run, but it’s a pretty good place, last I heard” The boy chimed in, scratching his chin. “If only because of your namesakes, the country you head is England, isn’t it?”

“That is correct” I nodded in affirmation. “What might your name be, then, friend?”

“Well, my name is Kiragi Shirasagi- I’m the Ultimate Strategist, as I might have possibly mentioned before? I tend to forget such minor and non-impactful details- a weakness of mine, you see. Ahem… good to meet you, nonetheless”

“Kiragi and Okita… understood. What have you discovered so far?” I asked, making sure to familiarise myself with their faces, as to remember them better. Asking of what they knew would at least save the exploration.

“Not much er… your highness? I’ve not so much as discovered even a hint of a way out. It seems the best we can do is scale the mountain but… that’s a bit too risky, for a majority of us” Kiragi explained, before gesturing to himself. “And well, if it isn’t obvious, my wheelchair is not exactly made for scaling mountains”

“And it’s not like that… weird bear thing will just let us do that” Okita sighed, crossing her arms and using one of her hands to fiddle with her hair. “What a weird way to start this…”

“Aha, yes… the plush bear… I had almost forgotten about him” I could feel my voice sour as I recalled the bear that seemed to have the answers, and was perhaps the reason that they were here. To willingly obscure such pertinent information made my blood boil, to be frank.

“Understandable, to an extent. He’s been eerily quiet… not liking it” Okita huffed. She was right… he had been silent, so far as I could recall. It had really only just occurred to me… likely because of the state of affairs in relation to our location.

“He did say he was preparing for something… let us hope that it will not cause an issue” Kiragi replied, shaking his head, having remembered the bear’s quick words. It was definitely a cause for concern… whatever tricks he had up his sleeve, they were guaranteed to be bad news for us.

“Awfully ominous of him, no?” I chuckled. It was then I noticed IT out of the corner of my eye.

A figure standing in the room. He was shrouded by the darkness of the shadow cast over him. A mirage- or perhaps a Wraith. Merely my mind playing tricks on me, I thought at first… until that mirage never ceased.

“...Speaking of the Devil. Who goes there?” I announced to the figure cloaked in the shadow of the hall.

It was then something most unexpected occured.

“Hold up. Waaaaait, wait, wait, wait. You can SEE me now?!”  


The figure seemed quite ecstatic, rushing out of the shadows and revealing his rather… plain appearance. Black hair tied in a ponytail. Brown eyes. Black hat. A regular school uniform. The most intriguing thing about him was just the black mask he wore around his neck. Other than that, his features were entirely regular.

“But of course- why were you hiding in the shadows? Kindly explain” I responded, raising an eyebrow. I hadn’t even noticed it, myself, but my hand had seemed to drift to the hilt of my sword. A reflex, gained from my training, I do suppose.

“I was nervous to approach you after you brushed off me being right next to you like 5 times! You didn’t even know I was there, it was like I didn’t exist, what the hell?!” The man yelled, clearly agitated. His body language was closed, and his expression painted a clear depiction of his frustration.

“When exactly were you right next to me?” I was flabbergasted. This man had been right next to me multiple times and I never noticed?! I must have failed to be vigilant… the both of us, even! If he was so much as telling the truth...

“Like… all the time?! I saw you taslking with Tomoe and Kintarou, with Inanna and Muramasa, with Yui and Kariya, with Ayako and Danford, with fucking SEISEI! I WAS RIGHT THERE AND YOU NEVER SAW ME?!” The man pulled at his hair angrily, gritting his teeth as he did.

“That must be a lie! I never saw you, and I was by my Lord’s side the whole time! Explain yourself!” Gawain retorted.

“OHHH REALLY?! Well, Iron Man, I was there, I saw you and Kintarou and all them try and knock a fucking grate down, ring any bells?! oh , how about Inanna getting real up in your king’s grill?! That’s sure as hell not easy for me to just say with 100% accuracy!” He yelled back, practically bombarding Gawain with details that only those involved in the discussion should know… there was no mistaking that he was there, now. Yet still… seeing him talk to one of my Knights like that boiled my blood...

  
  


The Man who was once in the shadows took a deep breath. “Sorry… I just get a little antsy, you know, get a bit mad, when that happens… lousy fuckin talent, am I right?” he shook his head in shame. “I shouldn’t have acted like that, it’s not like you’re the only ones or something, or that you did it on purpose… nobody seemed to have noticed me AT ALL”

“I-It’s quite alright…! May we know your name so that we may have an easier time in the future, perhaps it might help” I assured the man, trying to be at least semi-courteous. Were I ignored so constantly like that, I would get irritable as well, I do suppose.

“Right! Uhh… I’m Shigure Yamamoto, the Ultimate Ninja. Yeah… you can see where it all comes from now, right?” He replied with a smile. “Let’s uhhh… try and get along, when you can see me- aight?”

The man was a ninja… it made absolute sense to me why he would be considered the ‘ultimate’ Ninja, at the very least… though to think he was practically unnoticeable even when he wanted to be noticed...

”Shigure… Yamamoto… gotcha. Since you’re a ninja, you’ve probably got an eye for this kinda stuff, as well… anything a bit… weird?” Okita asked. “You know, anything you wouldn’t expect about where we are?”

“Anything unusual… I suppose if I had to pick something out, er… no wildlife. Like, you’d think there’d be some Deer or something, right? Fuck all to be found”

“Heavens above, he makes a perfect point! We haven’t seen a single animal in a place like this? That’s most definitely suspicious!” Gawain shouted in a sudden revelation.

”Indeed it is… perhaps-”

I was cut off by a large bell ringing from seemingly nowhere. It reminded me somewhat of a Funeral Bell. 

I would soon find out why.

A familiar voice began to ring throughout the area.

“hey hey hey! Time’s up, fools! I’m ready to get this party started! Come on over to where you started so we can start our little game- sorry not sorry for the wait! See you soooon~!” The voice seemed to stop ringing after that point, falling silent, just like the rest of the place.

“How did he…?”

“Cameras… and Speakers. They weren’t exactly abnormal for our situation, right? He’d need to monitor us so we don’t get out” Shigure explained. “I’ve located multiple as I made my way around”

”That would’ve been nice to mention… anyhow, we’d best get moving” Kiragi suggested. “If we don’t, it may be that we miss out on important information”

“Agreed… I’m rather anxious about that ‘game’ he’s talking about” I said, nodding as be began to walk back to where it all began


	9. Prologue: Valley of Despair- Monokuma

The group consisting of the 5 of us appeared to be the very last to reach the top of the mountain. “Thanks, Gawain” Kiragi bowed his head in thanks as he spoke to the titanic knight who had carried him up the whole way.

“It is no issue Lord Shirasagi” Gawain responded, placing the boy back into the Wheelchair that Okita had pulled up, albeit with a little assistance from yours truly. She seemed to have more difficulty bringing it up, then down, as you would expect.

“Sorry we’re late… long way” Okita said. Truly, we had likely the longest trek, being at the very back of the valley. 

“It wasn’t exactly much better with me, either, what with how I am. Getting up those stairs is an issue and a half!” Kiragi added, leaning back in his wheelchair. “We can only apologise for holding this all up”.

“It’s cool, it’s cool- We understand- or at the very least, ‘ya man Kintarou does!” Kintarou thumped his fist against his chest with a wide smile. Seeing the positive energy of the muscle-bound wrestler certainly brought a smile to my face.

  
“I am so very glad” Gawain replied, smirking. “Well then, Kintarou…! Has there been any issues?” He asked, putting his hands to his waist. I could tell with the way he talked he was quite happy to talk with Kintarou again- frankly, it made me happy to see him interacting with someone other than myself so positively already.

“No problem! Everything’s been ice cold up here! Real chill. No idea what the heck this bear’s gonna be talkin’ about. ‘Boutta blow smoke, I tell ‘ya!” Kintarou replied, chuckling as he scratched his upper lip.

“Yeah… Kinto-ahem… Kintarou’s right! Everything’s been… eerily quiet, when it comes to the bear thing… I assume he’s expecting all of us to show up” Tomoe said as she nodded in affirmation.

“Eeeh? Since everyone’s here, that means no one found an exit? Uwah… what a bummer…” Ayako sighed, looking down to the floor.

”A… bummer? That’s IT? Just a BUMMER? Nah, nah, this ain’t good at all… well, I can only think of two plus sides here…” Inanna stated. “One, there’s some real lookers here! Seriously, actual studs!” Everyone seemed to roll their eyes in unison to Inanna’s lack of ability to read the mood. “Okay, okay, the real good things here is that we’re all together, not on our own”

“I call that… an absolute WIN! No child left behind, right?” The voice likely belonging to the Bear echoed again.

“We are aware that it's you, bear” Yui stated plainly. “If you could reveal yourself… that would simplify things” She sighed, looking towards the curtained stage.

“Phuphu…! As you wiiiish!”

The curtains unfurled again, revealing the plush bear, this time wearing a Top hat, which he tipped. “Tally Ho, oh yes, oh my! This is your local 100% Cotton Made Monokuma speaking, and-”

”Get to the point, fool” King sharply interrupted Monokuma. “You have already tried my patience once. I advise not doing so again”.

The bear stared at King with a sort of dissatisfied stare, and tossed the Top hat to a side. King had already succeeded in putting Monokuma in a bad mood. “Fine, Goldie Boy, I’ll get to the point!” It yelled in anger. 

Just then, a green chalkboard came rolling out from backstage. Monokuma picked up a piece of chalk and a ruler, and began writing, drawing and pointing.

“Welcome to the Mono Mountain! Though it may not look the part right now, if you look up, you’ll see a huuuge mountain stretching way up! This place… is where you unfortunate little saps will be spendin’ your time!” He explained. “And that time? forever!”

Everyone seemed to stiffen up at his nonchalant yet Teacher-like explanation. Forever? We would be here… forever? I could not believe such a thing...

“What ‘n the..?! You messin’ with us, Bear?” Muramasa seemed to almost snarl in anger, seemingly sharing my sentiments.

“Nope Mr. Ultimate Country Bumpkin, you’re all here until you die! And I mean that!” he replied with another wisecrack.

“See?! As I have told you, this bear is a demon possessing a doll! We must destroy it!” Hana yelled, clutching the cross in her hands. “There is more than enough of us here capable of destroying this accursed object for good!”

“Gaaaaah! Nononono! Leave me out of this d-demon stuff!” Tomoe clutched her ears and shook her head violently.

“Bear, this is NOT cool! Just like… let us go already, right? I mean… it’s not like people on the outside won’t be able to find us! We’re all preeeeetty high-profile, y’know?” Ayako spoke sweetly, craning her body forward as if to make herself more innocent-looking or appealing.

“Nopity nope, Miss LovesToListenToHerselfTalk, no one knows you’re here!” The bear leans in and makes a whispering voice. “And frankly I dunno why anyone would care about ‘ya stupid sacks” The bear chuckled.

“There is a KING among us! I’m sure they’d notice they’d gone missing!” Gawain retorted with a creased brow. “You cannot fool us, Monokuma! There are absolutely people looking for us!” Gawain interjected.

“Nnnnnope! Though, if you wanna believe that, heheeeee! ...go ahead and do that even though that’s wrong” Monokuma shrugged. “False hope getting crushed is fiiiiine by me!”

“Could you at least show some generosity to the people here? I do not believe keeping us alive with ramshackle ruins and the like will be possible- especially considering the lack of items to keep ourselves sustained” Kariya stated. “That is, of course, assuming, you want us to live for whatever purpose you have… like ransom, for some people here?”

“Ransom? Oh noooo, no, no, no! That’s just stupid! Ransom’s overrated! The TRUE money’s in how you’re all gonna act in this place! Buuuuuuuut… I might just be willing to let you out!”

My eyes widened. After all of this, he’d just let us go? Was this some elaborate joke? ...no, that wouldn’t be true in the slightest. There must be a catch. There is too much here to say that this is but a joke, either… we were in for some issues, alright...

This was a time I wish I wasn’t right.

“Alright, I’ll cut you a deal! You can leave, for the Blood Price. That’s a great price, by the by!”

Everyone froze up.

Time had stopped.

Blood Price… he could not mean…!

“Are you perhaps proposing… Murder, Monokuma, was it?” Seisei seemed slightly agitated, his nose wrinkled.

“You got it, Ladyboy! The only way you’re gettin’ out… is killin’!” Monokuma confirmed, seeming all too willing to nod his head in response.

We all remained completely still, scared, and confused.

These people… they need a guide.

They need someone who can help them… lead them onward.

If need be, I will be that person… as a King, it is my responsibility.

“I cannot allow that!” I yelled, my brow furrowed and contorted.

Monokuma himself seemed taken aback, though it seemed more like he was feigning surprise than anything.

“Monokuma… I will not kill whoever you wish us to!”

“Who said I wanted to you kill someone else on the outside…? I’m talking about killing each other!”

“Each… other?” Tomoe looked around, a little nervous. 

“But of course… The only competitors here are really each other. There is no one else here to kill” Seisei rolled his eyes. “If he let us out of here, he would have no stranglehold on us then, now would he?”

“He’s right, you know! …well, kinda. You and your buddies are the only people you’ll be seeing! And you are aaaaall who’s gonna be killing anyone… provided everyone follows my Rules!”

“You’re gonna be enforcing rules on us too, huh?” Okita sighed. “So how’s it gonna be? Not gonna be that good, is it”

“weeell! Here’s some gifts! Presents to youuuu!” Monokuma tossed 16, what seemed to be tablets, into the air. Everyone managed to receive one eventually, either by catching it or scraping it off the floor.

“On that tablet is all the Rules and Regulations of the place. You gotta accept those and live with them, or you’re getting punished! And of course, by punishment… I mean execution!” Monokuma explained.

“E-E-Execution…?! What the… are you out of your MIND?!” Inanna protested, seemingly having taken this a little more seriously.

“Oooohhh, I'm DEADLY serious, my dear…” Monokuma replied jokingly, the feel of his voice giving me the image of a cruel grin.

I began to read through the rules. There was nothing overly major, per se. It detailed certain instructions such as ‘nighttime is between 10PM and 7AM, during this time, the Restaurant and certain other locations are shut’, along with things like that.

Though one rule stood out to me:

‘Once a Body has Been Discovered, Investigation will begin to figure out the Blackened’

“Yep, you’re reading it right, folks. You can’t just stabby stab and go, you gotta WORK for that freedom! You gotta get it by all your classmates that you committed the crime. How will this all be decided, other than just ‘Find Evidence, find Culprit’? Weeell, I think that’s gonna be one of the joys of it all. I’ll leave it for you to find out if you decide to do the deed!”

So much time, energy and planning must have gone into this. The bear… couldn’t be joking. There was no way.

“how… despicable…” Yui managed to choke out.

“How dastardly, how deranged! Is there is no end to this evil?!” Danford announced in his natural manner.

“Aw, c’mon, Shakespeare wannabe, cut me some slack! Hey, I’ll cut ‘ya another deal, how about that?” Monokuma offered.

“Another deal?” I asked.

“I do not think it would be wise to bargain with a Demon…” Hana looked down at the floor in, what seemed to be, sadness.

“of course! I’ll revitalise this whole area as a good place to live… for free! And that’s a great price!” Monokuma chuckled as if he’d made some kind of joke.

With a snap of his non-existent fingers, the very ground seemed to shake. Dust swallowed over us, preventing us from seeing the outside. When the dust settled…

The location was like a paradise!

No longer was the buildings all wracked to ruin or overgrown. Now they all flourished with life, brand new. Some buildings even seemed to get an upgrade. The Forest had been tamed and now looked more planned and proper.

  
  


“How…”

“Did that…”

“Happen?”

The voices of Hana, Okita and Yui were hollow, full of disbelief. It wasn’t out of the ordinary. What we did see was akin to that of a miracle, after all.

“Phuphuphu! The ol’ Monomagic gottem stunned again! Yahooo!” the bear pumped his fist up in victory.

“How so very interesting… this is quite a feat to perform in mere seconds” King smirked. “Hmph… consider me impressed, for once”

“Woah, I… I actually impressed Goldie Boy over there?!” Monokuma seemed to be unironically stunned.

“Make no mistake, Mongrel. I still think you a blight and cannot wait to feed your puppeteer’s body to the Pigs... but this, in such a short span of time is physically impossible… you may consider me impressed, if there is no trick to it” King retorted, stabbing Monokuma with an icy glare.

“Welp! Believe it! Everything will be just where you left it! ...along with some nice extras, along the way!” Monokuma chuckled. “Soooo, I think that does it! Seeya later suckers, enjoy your new lives!”

“W-Wait!” I call but Monokuma’s curtains are already drawn. By the time I jump through the Curtains. He was gone.

“In a rush to leave, eh? Jeez…” Muramasa rolled his eyes, scratching the back of his head. I almost completely glossed over it, still cautious of the situation.

We were on our own, all 16 of us. All of us wanted out, but would all of us Kill to get out? I was sure none of us had it in us, that none of us would dare to.

I have to keep that belief… until it breaks me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of the Prologue! I'm happy that you managed to tough it out all the way to here! now that the prologue is over... What do you think? Is it interesting? do these characters raise any questions? things like that! I'd love to hear a bit of feedback!
> 
> It's now I'd like to ask you once again, now that you have everyone nice and introduced to you- who's your favourite? Here's a Strawpoll if you don't wish to comment / have no account so you can't comment: 
> 
> https://www.strawpoll.me/20372833
> 
> Here are the picrews I used for the cast:
> 
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/13338 - Arthur, Gawain, Kintarou, Danford  
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/17569 - Hana, Okita, Kiragi  
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/281197 - King  
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/43383 - Yui  
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/295664 - Shigure  
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/6324 - Seisei  
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/22347 - Kariya
> 
> Tomoe, Muramasa, Inanna and Ayako were either traced (In Tomoe, Inanna and Ayako's case- in which they are based off of Akane, Aoi and Ibuki's sprites, or so I believe) or straight-up drawn by me a good year or so ago, in Muramasa's case (I've gotten a lot better, I promise XD Maybe I'll draw some proper headshots for them, eventually- though it'll probably still look a bit MS Paint-tier in colours, and so forth)
> 
> I would love to get some better sprites or whatever to really show them off, but y'know, what can you do? this is about the best I can do, with my level of artistic skill. Though if anyone would be generous enough to do some, I'd be pretty grateful.


	10. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New- Part 1

“Aha! And so the mystery begins to unravel as to why the bear brought us here… but yet more begins to be cast in mystery… more questions begin to get raised!” Danford chuckled. “Ahhh, the curtain hath risen, and so Act 1 hath now begun!”

Kintarou lowered his glasses, revealing his Amber eyes. He looked over to Danford, with a clear sense of aggression on his face. “Dude… are you serious right now?! Like, c’mon, get serious, yeah?! You heard the bear, he’s gonna get us to kill each other!”

“Oh, but of course! The morality is certainly quite ambiguous, perhaps leaning on the malign. but… it is also such a tense feeling! Ah, how wonderful it would be to capture this in a play or story!” Danford continued to be lost in his own world, blathering away, twirling around, before stopping. “Ahem, but yes… bad situation”

“That’s… really not a good thing to think right now! Seriously! Kintarou’s right! This ain’t the time for that!” Inanna protested, hands on her hips, speaking with a harsh tone.

“Lady Annuea is correct! We should not even consider the bear’s method and continue trying our own formula of escape!” Gawain nodded fervently in agreement, utterly against the idea, as I had expected. I did not select my knights for their willingness to kill- rather the opposite. Avoiding bloodshed was my foremost concern.

“I agree with you there… I mean… generally speaking, I’m sure if we just tough it out… we might make it” Kiragi murmured. “It’s… certainly POSSIBLE”

“How so? The Demon will keep us trapped here until he gets his intended result, that, I am sure” Hana questioned the strategist, raising her eyebrows. “These eternal beings do not care for such concepts as time, I’m sure”

“I… wouldn’t call the bear a demon, in a literal sense. Anyway, the bear’s gonna get bored, eventually, right? If we don’t kill each other, I’m sure he’ll stop” Kiragi’s eyes remained full of optimism and conviction as he spoke. “It seems he’s not the patient type- I mean, look at how he acted, and all that”

“And what makes you think he just won’t tighten the ropes around our necks?” King sneered, standing proudly with a rugged expression. “We are essentially in the gallows now, are we not?”

“There’s no guarantee he won’t… of course there’s not! But still… it’s the best chance we got to get the most people out alive, right?” Kiragi retorted, hand on his heart.

“So to put it in perspective… we _might_ have a chance if nobody kills. Though if you ask me, thinking about this is stupid” Seisei sighed, carrying an ‘I’m done with everything’ expression. “To think about trivial eventualities is the height of folly. To consider the most important of eventualities… that is wisdom”

“Seisei’s right! we gotta stay positive! Let’s keep on the up and up, ignore the whole killing-people part!” Ayako smiled, a twinkle in her eye.

Seisei raised his eyebrows in surprise, then lowered his head, shaking it. “Hm… to think that my words would be used for positivity rather than pessimism. Truly… how vexing- though not unsurprising...” Seisei seemed… confused? Ayako’s optimism seemed to transform his comment.

“Soooo, I think we can safely say that we should just try and go along with Kiragi’s plan and just try and outlast the bear, yeah? Dunno ‘bout you guys I don’t want to go poking around the corpses of people I know, you get me?” Ayako suggested, snapping her fingers as if to emphasise the last part of her statement.

The group seemed to have had their nerves lessened ever so slightly… it seemed everyone was listening to reason.

“Then let us become accustomed to a communal life in this valley... “ Hana smiled brightly. Were her eyes visible, I imagined them twinkling. “I am sure we can agree to that, yes?”

“I can’t say I dislike the idea of solitude in a place like this… especially with people I can say I admire!” Tomoe smiled warmly, shaking, as if to cast away the negative ideas in her head. “Yeah, I’ll try and adapt!”

“Hm! I’ll try too, then! I think I can get along with all of you well enough…” Okita nodded in agreement. “For as long as it takes for the bear to become bored, I shall try and engage in a standard, regular life as much as I can- I think we can do this!”

Members of the group slowly began to nod their heads.

I wouldn’t.

I could not abandon the Kingdom I had raised. The Kingdom I swore an oath to protect!

I looked around, and noticed a few others seemed to agree with me, in some sense.

Gawain, Inanna, Yui and King seemed to likewise not nod their head.

“Tell them, King of Mongrels” King cracked a snide smirk. He knew what I was thinking- in some bizarre sense… we were on a similar wavelength.

I knew what he wanted me to say, and I fervently agreed with it.

I took a deep breath.

“We cannot be complacent” I finally uttered the words from my lips.

Everyone looked to me, their focus entirely trained on me. Whilst speaking 1-to-1 is difficult for me, talking in front of a crowd, like right now, was Child’s Play.

“It is in these times of peace, that we must prepare for the maelstrom! Let us not kid ourselves, the bear- that Monokuma- will not relent. There is no way that it will. It will outlast us, and doubtless, it will do all it can to elicit a response if we are not acting to his liking enough” I announced to the crowd. The crowd remained just as still as statues. 

“That is not to say that I disagree with what you are all thinking: we must live a communal life. However… it is too far to say that we must continue until the bear relents. No… we must MAKE him relent! We must force the bear into letting us go, or find a way to escape in our own way!”

I took the Sword and Scabbard at my side, planting the sheathed blade into the ground in front of me. “It is US who must forge our way forward! That much, I believe, should be obvious!”

Gawain walked to stand shoulder-to-shoulder (Or perhaps, it would be more wise to say, hand to shoulder with his incredible size) with me, his posture strong, and his eyes burning with passion and conviction, like that of a raging fire. “I stand with my King on this matter: I will not abandon my duties as a knight of my lord’s Kingdom: and I will not allow my King to stray from his path, either!” Gawain agreed. “It is my duty as the Knight of the Sun, that I continue to light the people’s days with happiness, and safety!”

The ever-steeled body of Yui took her place next to Gawain.“I believe it necessary to depart, as well. The patients under my protection require me. There is a lot of work to be done! I urge you, do not forget your commitments to the outside!”

With a slight giggle, and with a motion that lacked both tact and confidence, Inanna stumbled next to me. “Mine’s not as noble or anything as King, Sir and Miss Duty, over there, but I’ll say it anyway. You’d be like a bunch of Prisoners if you’re stuck here, and let me tell you this: I’m no Prisoner” Inanna smirked, pointing at the three of us standing to the left of her.

“Hmph. For once, it appears we see eye to eye in such circumstances… I find that quite surprising. I would’ve imagined an even more vain reason from you-”

“Oh, and Arthur’s a stud, I’m following him so I can enjoy the view, you feel me?” King was interrupted by Inanna’s sudden comment.

‘Why did I see that coming…?’ Was all I could think. It seemed to me that Inanna’s entire characterisation was built purely around her whims, or perhaps even further, around a single object of affection… of which I was so unlucky to be.

“Ahem… it seems I was in fact right about you, then. You truly are more base-born than I thought” King sighed, an undignified scowl on his face.

“Yeah, yeah, Emperor Vanity, what else? Not much to say now, I’m sure” Inanna made a fanning motion with her hand directed at King as she spoke. There was still clearly an amount of contempt in her eyes for him.

“You are more than correct about that, Mongrel. All I shall state is that, for the duration of this event, I am sure all of us, at the very least us 5, will be working their absolute hardest to escape. Though, let us see if it shall amount to Nil… I will watching attentively at your struggles. Do entertain me” King finished with an almost evil grin.

The others in front of us seemed to be thinking for a moment. This display we had shown… had it convinced them to at least change their thoughts a little bit?

“Well, I dunno about all of you, but if ‘ya ask me, just givin’ up just ‘cuz we failed before being introduced to the bear proper is stupid… and outlasting the bear’s patience might just lead to worse things, so, y’know...” Kintarou pumped his fist into the air with a large expanse of energy. “YEAH! Monokuma can go SUCK IT! I’m all in, I’m goin’ back and telling my fans aaaaall about it!” He spoke with an energised smile on his face, and an almost crazed expression of hyperactiveness eminent from the edge of his mouth to the eyes that stirred behind his purple shades.

“I am in agreement” Kariya stated. “Foolish me… the Surgeon is right! if I do not leave, I cannot continue my work! That, in of itself, is simply selfish of me… and furthermore, I cannot settle-!” Kariya announced with a stunning level of vibrancy and stern energy behind it that I thought it was someone else who spoke.

As Kariya seemed to become more motivated, his body, still fragile, seemed to jitter, until finally... 

Kariya went into a coughing fit, and soon, from his mouth erupted his blood.

He slammed himself into the fetal position on the floor, clutching his chest with his long bony fingers.

“Mr Suzuki, I told you, do not exert yourself!” Yui ran over, putting Kariya flat on the ground gently. “Hrrhh… your lack of emotion is the only reason reason you were able to retain yourself on such a poor lifestyle- your innards can barely handle the strain! Try to refrain from outbursts like that until I have completed my treatment of you” Yui scolded, though with an amount of pity in her eyes.

Like that, Kariya snapped back into a neutral trance. “Understood” Kariya stated plainly. It was almost robotic, the way he clicked back into it. How a man could break in and out of such a trance was odd, to me. It was like a switch.

After this, everyone seemed to part ways, to explore this new interpretation of the Valley we once walked around in.

Everywhere was now in perfect shape.

Paths, restored and repathed with precious stones, bordered with cobbles. 

Myself and Gawain investigated the pathways between the major locations. Things were better connected, with fancy red bridges in a similar style to those Torii Gates from the shrine and more paths introduced, making an orderly manner in which you could traverse.

“Heeey, Studmuffin, look down at the stuff on the side of the road” Inanna smirked, looking down at the floor, using an eyebrow to gesture to me.

Inanna decided to join us… still calling me a multitude of pet names. Yet still, she did seem to have a good eye for detail, as a Beautician and all. I can at the very least value that.

“It is only cobbles, nothing terribly interesting” I replied, bent down to look at the stones.

“My King, you may want to look closer” Gawain replied, twiddling one in his hand.

Heeding Gawain’s counsel, I looked at them closer, taking one into my hand.

“Aha, I see… quite a good eye Inanna” I nodded, turning one of the cobbles in my hand.

These small stones were cut quite smooth on the top, but if you turned them over, then you found that they were rough, and most notably had similar traits to Shrapnel. Chucking them at an opponent would definitely cause at least a little bit of damage.

“Wait… there was actually something to that? Huh… I just wanted to enjoy a nice view” Inanna chuckled.

I sighed in slight frustration as I got up. Inanna didn’t seem to take much seriously… though I suppose that was to be expected, given what she has currently said.

“Ahh, can’t you just let me have my fun?” Inanna smirked.

“It is not what I would call appropriate behaviour…” Gawain shook his head in disapproval. “To a king, no less, have you no shame?”

“No need to be so tight-lipped, you know? I mean… not like anyone else from where you guys are from is watching” Inanna shrugged. “Besiiiides, it’s just a joke, a harmless joke! Gotta have a laugh every now and again, right?”

“That means nothing! We are honourable people. We will not just turn our coats when there are no prying eyes” Gawain shook his head. “A joke stops being a joke when you make someone uncomfortable, Lady Annuea”

“Whatever you say” she shrugged her shoulders with a salacious smirk.

The three of us continued to patrol the roads, looking for anything suspicious along the paths. There was little out of the ordinary, with the only exception being those shrapnel cobbles.

Whilst it seemed like it would be uniform, we had to be sure if there was even so much as a slight deviation. There was most definitely something wrong, that I knew for certain. Turning this place into a paradise at a moment’s notice is nothing short of suspicious.

And I was determined to find the answer: I could not let a potential advantage slip right through my fingers!


	11. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New- Part 2

The Temple stood stalwart in the Cherry Blossom clearing. Monokuma’s improvements included a fresh coat of paint, a refurbishment of the Temple, and a whole slew of brand new Torii gates added on top of the current ones, which had also received their own improvements, as well.

And yes… that… that which I can sense… a great disturbance.

The others would be unable to understand, but I can ‘see’ with the senses that my God has heightened. My Touch, my Smell, my Hearing. I have no real requirement for my eyes, now. To prevent corruption of Vanity, I shall ensure my eyes are forever shrouded in black.

“Ey, Amakusa… ‘ya get the feelin’ we’re bein’ watched?”

Ah, yes. Kintarou Tokisaka. He was here as well. Funny… this man, so very brutal, so very much indulged in Urban Affairs, seemed so in tune with nature I was unable to detect him from the surrounding Environment’s signals. Pleasing, and yet ever so distressing.

As for his question…

“But of course… there is an overseer in this shrine… but not the one that it should be” I answered simply. I could sense it. The God’s connection… it is perhaps severed here? Is the Lord unable to reach his guidance unto me?

The Demon… Monokuma. Yes, that vile Demon- no, Archdemon of the unholy abyss… it is he who clouds the valley from the Lord’s eyes…

Yet still… my Lord is the All-Maker, the greatest Creator and Craftsman, for it is he who has forged our world… our universe… our very existence. I have no doubt I may hear his words… as long as I continue to bring myself closer unto him.

“Lemme lay it down for ‘ya, Miss. See, there are these Idols, yeah? Look kinda like the Bear” The Wrestler explained, looking on at the false idols.

“Ah, how Narcissistic of the Demon… it reminds me of the story involving the Golden Bull the people worshipped while Moses climbed to obtain the Commandments”

“A Golden Bull, eh? Hehe… that’d be nice to see, but, uhhh I… don’t know the story, but uhhh… gotcha- he’s a narcissistic prick, yeah? That’s what I’m gettin’ outta this?” He replied. He knew not of an important religious story… no matter. It is fine- people shall live as the great creator wished them to. If one is made not to believe in him… why should I interfere?

“Vanity… Pride. A sin in such high moderation… how contemptible. Though in the end… well, I believe that we should be perfectly fine… the Shrine, however…”

“What about it? I mean, I know you’re all about that faith an’ all but… can’t ‘ya just, I dunno… pray someplace else?”

The Wrestler does not, yet simultaneously does, understand. I could, but this place is the closest I can get with God here… even if it is corrupted. I must do something. A matter of religious principle is present here.

I slowly walk up the steps to the main area of the shrine, and put all of my sensory deprivation equipment on.

Suddenly, all my senses are completely missing. I am but a Void, in my mind. Nothing can shake me from this. It is the practice of depriving yourself of all worldly senses that brings you closer to the divine. It is in that solitude, that you find him, the Almighty.

Yes… yes… I can hear the Lord’s Voice!

...I understand his wishes. I know, and only I, in this Valley, can understand this God. His will creates my body, and his purpose for me, my destiny. 

His message echoes in my head… it is one I shall hold on to, and only share when the Lord tells me to.

I take off my equipment, and find Kintarou standing over me.

“Lady, that’s some scary stuff… god damn, what’s with all the earmuff things and the mask thing that comes from that thing ‘round your neck? It’s super creepy...”

I simply smile cheerfully. Of course, he would not understand quite yet. There are few with devotion as hard set as mine. There are few who can withstand hours in solemn prayer, without so much as a sound or sight that is not belonging to the Lord. Perhaps in time, the Wrestler shall understand.

“The more senses a person loses… I believe they become even closer to God. That is why I believe you clasp your hands, and close your eyes. You deprive yourself partially of these senses… and so, you may send a Request to the God you are trying to contact”

“Sounds pretty nutty, honestly… you know, Hocus Pocus and all that” Kintarou responded, cleaning out an ear with his finger.

There is not a seed of hatred for him doubting my methodology. There are many who would agree with him, and many, who would even call me mad for thinking this is indeed the truth. As such, I shall allow him to keep that impression. The Lord communicates to many people in many different ways, after all.

“You are absolutely free to believe that as you may… just as I am to practice it” I respond, idly exploring the rest of the shrine. I functioned just as I always would, even without my vision. There was little to discuss about the shrine, other than the new statues of the Archdemon calling itself Monokuma.

“Yo! Monokuma! If ‘ya can hear me, come on out, D-Bag!” Kintarou called out. The great Wrestler let loose his loud voice with a bellow from the depths of his lungs.

Just then, I felt a malevolent presence, alike that of a High-Ranking Demon… the dealings this man brought unto us… remind me quite a bit of Mephistopheles and Faust. Making our lives as miserable as possible, dangling a way out in front of our faces… and then utterly extinguishing that hope.

“You called?” The bear asked, poofing out of nowhere in a cloud of pink smoke.

“Yeah, what’s the deal with the Shrine now? We’ve had a nice look around and you’re looking pretty Vain right now, yeah? Miss Amakusa there’s not able to focus without looking real creepy. Pack your shitty statues up” Kintarou demanded.

The Wrestler went out of his way to assist in purifying the Shrine. It brings me great satisfaction to see him do that, if only for the benefit of another.

“Phuphuphu… Is that a threat?” Monokuma asked, completely cocky. The demon, still as prideful as ever, inched ever closer to the colossal beast that was Kintarou.

“You’re damn right it’s a threat! Pack up your statues ‘fore I pack your face in your waist!”

That idiot…! Why is he…? I hastily thought, my eyes darting beneath the blindfold.

“Phuphuphu… go ahead and try, Toughie! Though I gotta ask first… why do ‘ya care? I mean, not your problem riiiight?” The bear asked. “If that Lady’s got a problem she can book it up with me! And then I’ll still say no!”

“Tch, so why, eh? Well, let’s put it this way! I’m Kintoki the Lightning King of the Ring! I ain’t lettin’ no girls or guys get pushed around by D-Bags like you! Gold Koi… CRASH!”

In movements simply jolting with power, Kintarou leapt for Monokuma, his bare, muscular fist smashed straight into the bear, cracks forming on its metal shell, only a prod away from shattering.

“Wahoooo…! That’s a big crack there! Jeez… almost like a walnut, wow… ahem! well, you’re dead, punk! You broke rule dilly damn ONE!” The bear announced. Monokuma pulled out a remote, and upon pressing it, the item that was previously a remote transformed into what looked like a gigantic cannon.

I could not allow such an affront to occur now. Not his early. We were all going to have a communal life, where we would all live. I would not allow someone to tarnish that.

“Halt, Monokuma. You will not kill him” I commanded as I turned to face to the bear. I tilt my head to the side, almost like a doll.

“If you kill Kintarou here… then where’s the fun in that, hm? Where’s the fun in letting a potential Killer or Victim die…? Another Thrilling murder could be used for this one” I spoke in a thoroughly grotesque tone, as to match that which the bear liekly found most appealing. It was all a matter of manipulating evil into performing good.

Kintarou’s aura… I could feel it. He went from angry to thoroughly creeped out.

“No, tutz, he broke Rule One! I can’t just let that slide, right?!”

I had to convince him. If I could just save his life… we may be able to continue on.

“Allow me to do some Math. There is 16 Students. Assuming each student kills 1 person, there is a maximum of 8 Murders possible. With Kintarou gone, that makes 7… you’re depriving yourself of entertainment. That is something I do not believe should be on your to-do list, no?”

Monokuma fell silent. I think I may have convinced him…!

“Weeell, ‘Ya didn’t look at the rules, bucko… I’ll let you off on a technicality, since you were a dumbass and didn’t see the rules… but now you KNOW… don’t try that again!”

A sparing of a life, only for the possibility that he may collect later in a more satisfying fashion… he is every bit the Devil I assumed he was.

The bear soon disappeared in the same puff of smoke he created prior.

“Geh… thanks for the save there, miss!” Kintarou panted, his large form rising up and down like a wave.

There was no surprise on my face. He was facing death in its freezing face. No one should be completely chilled once that occurs.

“It is a Non-Issue. It is part of a Holy Woman’s duty to prevent death when she can”

Kintarou got off his feet, sticking a… ‘thumbs up’ I had to assume. While the blindfold obscured my vision, I could see a great, blinding light emanating from this one.

The two of us continued to search upon the colossal wreck turned restored shrine of Vanity.


	12. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New- Part 3

“Now ain’t this place just a beaut’, eh?!”

I spoke loudly and proudly into the newly refurbished restaurant- this would be the delight of a chef, and really, anyone, looking for a good meal.

“Despite being a Swordsmith… you find yourself attached to the palace of the Culinary arts? Hm, it appears almost as if you are suffering some kind of crisis” The snide voice of the Golden Prick hissed through my ears.

“Ya got ‘a problem wi’ that, Prick? A man can like shit outside of ‘is own talent, y’know? Or are you just some kinda klepto all the time?” I snorted in response.

King simply looked away, with a smile on his face, but a furrow in his brow. “Not at all… it is quite nice, in fact. You are not bound by just your talent like some of the other Mongrels that dare call themselves Ultimates. Heh… as is that moniker could describe any of you...”

“Yeh, you’re out ‘ere talkin’ all about people bein’ more or exactly what their talent ‘is- me? I’m jus’ seein’ a generic Collector. Arrogant ‘t the bone, y’know? Prickly exterior, prickly interior” I snickered, taking another good look around.

“Hmhmhm… amusing. Of course- One does not ACT like they possess All the World’s Treasures, if they cannot reinforce their statement. You, foolish swordsmith… may discover there is more to me than meets the eye- as long as prove yourself worthy”

“Worthy this, worthy that, you’re all ‘bout worthiness in these parts, ain’tcha?” I replied back with snark, shaking my head. “Go on an’ check the tables or somethin’- I’m done”. This arrogant asshole annoyed me beyond belief. People should learn to be humble, y’know?

  
  


“Do not think you hold any reign over me, Mongrel. You have no semblance of such a thing… but to be courteous, I will do as you desire, just this one time. Be satisfied” King grinned with a smug expression before walking down to where the bulk of the tables were. In other words… he was just doing as I said. Just rephrasing it- perhaps it made a difference to him, but it sure as hell didn’t, to me. I turned to the kitchen when our onlooker chimed in.

“You’re pretty buddy-buddy with King already, huh?” The onlooker’s tongue slithered. I didn’t recognise this man. I can barely recollect that he was with us when the Bear was speaking. All I remember is, when we began to organise who should go where, we slowly considered that they made an off-hand comment. That roused us all to see him.

“Nah, still pisses me off ‘t no end” I replied bluntly. This guy was so normal it was unnerving he could be considered an Ultimate. Though I suppose that is the point of a Ninja. Be so normal you blend in with the background…

“Hmmm… yeah, I suppose so. The arrogance is a bit grating but he’s decent enough, I’m sure, under all that Arrogance, of course… maybe” Shigure said, shrugging. “Might just be more nastiness… seems like a narcissist”

“I suppose. Still… Apostle Lady was so… against pairing with him, like... Damn. I feel sorry for Huge Bastard number 2 for having to swap just ‘cuz of that, y’know? An’ ol’ Silvyhorns wasn’t too happy ‘bout that. Seemed to already know the dude”

“Well, she did call him ‘Sin Incarnate’- matches him pretty well, if I’m being honest. It’s not surprising that a holy woman like her would prefer to keep her distance”

“S’pose it makes some degree of sense, then. Anyhow, Shigure, I never even saw you before now. Help me search this place whilst we talk, ‘ya sneaky feck” I gestured for the ninja to approach as I walked to the kitchen with a hunched back.

The two of us walked in and began to examine all the equipment. I allowed Shigure to see the quality of the ingredients at the back, whilst I looked at the actual equipment...

Oven. Brand new, so new-fangled and perfect that I couldn’t even fathom it. It was so different from the rusty old one I used all the time.

I had a similar experience with just about everything in the kitchen. Everything plated in Chrome, the light projected from above dancing over the plating.

By the time I finished examining all the cooking apparatus, Shigure and King sat at stools on the other side of the counter. They seemed to stay a good way apart- Shigure was, perhaps, not interested in being too close with King?

I began to examine the knives, finally. I saved them for last, intentionally. I wanted to spend a lot of time on these. A sword and a knife… whilst they are not the same, the big divider when it comes to smithery is their length. I could compare their craftsmanship to my own pretty easily.

“Sooo… what’d you make of the knives?” Shigure asked, leaning forward. “If you ask ME, well… not half bad- but what about your opinion? Y’know, as a smith?”

“These are some sharp bastards, damn… pretty durable too, by the looks” I commented, flipping the knife around. “Good weight balancing, too… damn, guy knows ‘is stuff”

“Hm. This place is quite interesting… those Knives look all too well like the perfect Murder Weapon, wouldn’t you say? Sharp to puncture coarse flesh, durable as not to break. The bear has spared no expense, I am sure” King stated almost ominously.

“I mean… ‘course, it’d stab people good, it’s a high-quality knife. What’s ‘ya point?” I responded. This King dude was rubbin’ me the wrong way…

“I believe that there’s many little gimmicks like this… by which I mean… the Bear has quite intentionally made these a _cut_ above the rest, as it were” King chuckled, flexing the fingers on his right arm. “It would not surprise me if the fool behind this enjoyed his… complexity”

“Ahahaaaa… get it? Cut above the rest? Eh? Eeeeeeeh?” Shigure made a motion to jab King with his elbow, but then remembered who he was talking to, and stopped himself.

“Wise choice to stop, fool. I am glad you understood that it is best not to touch me… I shall forgive you for that prior one, just this once… consider it a gift” King smirked, narrowing his eyes.

Yeh right… he 'prolly just didn’t want the bollocking that would’ve followed…

“Anyhow… ‘ya were sayin’?”

“Ahem… yes. Think of it like this. This ‘Killing Game’ or so I shall dub it for now… it is meant to be fair in its own twisted sense, yes? At the very least, that can be assumed. Then why not begin by making it a little more simpler to determine where the weapon came from?”

“Aaaah, I got it! So, like, when the Killing happens, and we’ve gotta make sure the Killer doesn’t get away with it by finding them out, we’ll know where the weapon came from and who had it just based purely on the look of the weapon!” Shigure snapped his fingers in realisation.

“Now that ‘ya say that… I think I got’cha. Wouldn’t be surprised, wi’ the way the Bear does his stuff, y’know?” I nodded, slightly understanding. “Still, wonder if that would take a ‘lil outta the puzzle, y’know? I mean, I’m seriously grateful, if that’s th’ case, but still”

We were silent for what seemed like ages. The 3 of us did not have a particularly grand grade of… chemistry, I think it’s called?

Eventually, the silence that stirred the room was broken.

“Y’know… I do have a question for ‘ya, King” Shigure said, taking a sip of water I poured him. 

“You ask me a question? Gahahaha…! Ah, I will allow it. Just this one time! You may speak”

“See, that’s the problem” Shigure began. “So, clearly, you think you’re above everyone here...so why are you just following what everyone says? Weren’t you going to do your stuff independent?”

King raised his eyebrows in slight surprise, then he returned to his casual smirk.

“...What a foolish question. If you do not recall, then the foolish Knight and Police Officer asked of my co-operation. Their addressal made me think... What kind of interesting things may occur at your sides? My, I must say… I am disappointed so far, but I will be most attentive- You hare-brained bores had best make such time worthwhile” 

King’s eyes had a strange glint in them as he spoke his next few sentences. Something most definitely malign in them.

“After all… it’s simple entertainment for me. This… Killing Game is naught but a pleasant little game. A long game of Chess”

He thinks of this like a game?!

“Not exactly healthy, calling this a game. What are ‘ya, some kinda psycho?” I responded roughly.

King’s response was to simply look to me hawk-faced and speak.

“I wouldn’t call it insanity to enjoy entertainment involving the suffering at others. I would call it a shame if someone were to actually die… but I cannot say I will not relish everything up until that point”

“An’ what if you become the guy who gets merc’d first, huh? That’s not what I call fun”

“I will not die. That is the simplest thing to it. I will last for as long as it takes to feed the body of the man behind all of this to the pigs… that is the only eventuality”

“If you’re so confident…” Shigure shrugged, rolling his eyes. “How can you be so CERTAIN?” he further inquired, furrowing his brow in intrigue and frustration.

“Hmph- I hold all the World’s Treasures in the palm of my hand. Do you think there is any chance that I might fall? I scarcely think now- only a deranged mutt would doubt a wise owner”

The three of us just sat together in that Restaurant. Shigure seemed like a decent dude.

King, however… arrogant and prideful. Still a huge prick, but not done anything outright dickish except for his words of self-praise. He’s nothin’ to worry ‘bout, I’m sure… Still, I can’t trust him. Didn’t even give us his actual name…


	13. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New- Part 4

With a spring in my step, I jumped into action towards the library. Everyone seems to be backtracking, so why should I be an exception?

Danford and I walked up to the brand-spanking-new library. I was a bit surprised, honestly. Place was locked TIGHT from what I could see. Entryway was just… SHUT.

“Awawa… no way in but the front door and that’s locked righty tighty!” I whined, tapping the door. There seemed to be no movement, and there wasn’t even a handle to move the thing!

“Ohoho! What a twisted fate! The Imperium, sealed like an ancient tomb!” Danford heartily laughed, opening and closing the book in his hand.

‘Ehhh… no way we can get inside then… hmm, think, Ayako, think!’. I tapped my head in frustration, compressing my facial features together to the point they were like mush. “Uwah… looks like we’ll have to ask the Big Cheese, y’know?” I said to Danford, sighing. I really hated that bear… he looks kinda adorable, but he’s evil through and through! He was a real nasty piece of work… forcing us to kill each other…

“Ah, yes, but of course! Our Deus Ex Machina! The ‘Big Cheese’ as you put it! Bahaha! Brilliant, simply wonderful! Yes… there are moments where a touch of divine intervention may be required… Though they have no place in a narrative not about Gods! For shame!”

I called out the Bear’s name and he answered rather quickly. The bear seemed to have sustained a large crack down the center. I couldn’t think about what such a mark could have come from… unless someone attacked the bear? In which case, that meant..!

I had to ask.“Woah! That’s a pretty big mark there, Bear! Heck’d that come from?” I asked, despite having an idea. I HAD to confirm it...

“Ooooohh, Ai-Ai Chan! It was hoooooorrible! A Big Gold Bully beat me up! I almost fought back but then… he got backup!” The bear seemed to feign terror. I understood now. Kintarou and Hana must’ve done this. To that, I say… well done! You didn’t die because of the 1st rule somehow…! How you avoided it better have not been a copout… Danford would go coo-coo!

“Kiss my boo boo better like the Mummy I never had, pretty pleaaaaase?” Monokuma motioned his head closer to me, acting like some sort of sappy lost child. Frankly, a sort-of adult sounding voice (for a plush bear, anyhow) saying such things was… disgusting, to put it lightly.

“Nah dude, not how I roll. You lasted this long, so go all the way, ‘kaaaay?” I bent down and winked at the bear, pulling the classic ‘Idol Smile’. Whilst I was no Idol, I played a similar part to one.

“Wooooo! ...Ahem, anyway, enough with that! What’s the problem? I don’t see one!” Monokuma proclaimed, looking around quickly. “What’s the deal?”

“So you’re saying the Library is locked now?” I asked with a concerned look. If he’d locked it up… that’d be a problem. Whatever was inside would be lost.

“Not at all, in fact, Beard Boy over there can unlock it!” Monokuma pointed over to Danford.

‘Well, colour me surprised! Pretty nice and convenient that we decided to come here, then!’ I thought as I looked over at Danford. I suppose I had to ask, though… “Eeeeh? How does he do that, then?”

“Ohoho! Ayako speaks words as if they were ripped from mine own tongue! Explain, Monochromatic Ursine! Explain, forsooth! How might I open this gate to the great Imperium?”

‘...Monochromatic Ursine? You’re reaaaally reaching here, Danny boy. Still, I can give ‘ya merit for trying!’ I thought pleasantly, practically commenting on the situation in my mind. It was a sort of second nature, to me.

“Oh but of course my Beard-Touting, totally not Shakespearian friend!” Monokuma cackled as he spread his stubby arms out wide, imitating a Southern English accent.

I couldn’t help but replace ‘Friend’ with ‘Captive’ in my mind. Practically what we were, After all. Either way, the bear continued to speak. “Right then! All you need to do iiiiss… say hello!” The bear stated simply with a level of satisfaction.

‘Wait, what…? Say hello? That doesn’t sound…’- I didn’t quite… get it. Just speak to the door? Danford? It didn’t make much sense to me...

“Ohohoho! If I must, then I shall! Greetings, O’ Library door!” Danford greeted as he turned to the door and waved, as if he were greeting a regular person.

‘He’s actually doing it?!’ I thought with wide eyes, watching Danford do as he did- such things, only he would try, I was certain...

“I am Danford Apollinaire, the Ultimate Playwright! Wouldst thou care to open your gates?”

KER-CHUNK!

The door before Danford and I suddenly opened, seemingly without much difficulty at all!

“That… worked?! that’s …” My mind was boggled at the sight. I’m sure it’d be the same for anyone in this situation, right? Voice recognition on a building like this for a door like that? Unheard of!

“You bet it, lady! It’s a cool system so complex I bet you couldn’t understand it!” He seemed to challenge leaning forward.

A cracked a smile on the left-hand side of my face. I was sure I could! If there’s some new tech out there, I’ve probably read about it for the show! Right? I just… have to think! “I’m pretty sure I could, It’s…”

Danford’s POV:

All I heard was just gibberish after those words! I couldn’t understand a word of it!

‘So this is what it’s like for people when they hear me regularly…’ I thought, before cackling to myself in my head. ‘Ahhhh, but the sharpening of wit, that those around are bestowed… that is reason enough alone!’

“Aaannyhow, now it’s open it’s not closing ever again! Just thought I’d let you know that little tidbit!” Monokuma spoke. Eventually, the bear vanished in a plume of smoke. What he said was clearly a proclamation to us. A clue that the great and mighty Bear had bestowed upon us. It was for a purpose, that I was sure!

“Aaaaalrighty! Let’s gooooo!” Ayako chirped as she gleefully hopped inwards, with boundless energy. From what I was able to recall from our previous meeting on her show, Ayako was always like this. A cheerful girl who never let any kind of foul event dampen her mood for too long.

Yes, she lets her worries be swept away with the wind, and her doubts with the tide! Ah, the sheer admiration I have for such an uncanny ability is truly asphyxiating!

As we entered the once decrepit building, I was overcome with joy and laughter. A thunderous Orchestra of the human larynx.

“Now THIS is cooool!” Ayako yelled happily as she hopped around the spacious room.

The Library had been transformed into a building that suited my specific tastes. Rows upon rows of Books and Manuscripts, along with a large desk upon which I could write. In all honesty, I would be unable to request more of it, in the ways of a Library.

“Beautiful, beautiful! This is simply magnificent! Yes, the sheer artistry, the grand beauty that this great authority of knowledge doth possess! Ah, I might just say it is comparable to that of the most brilliant of rainbows, or the most tranquil of night skies!” I erupted into singing praises of the room.

The two of us explored the room’s many Shelves. I recognised many of the books as published scripts of my very own works! My, the bear is truly trying to make me blush! ‘The Ballad of Asterios’, ‘The Adversities of Alexandros’- such names i do indeed recall! Writings I hath created! Words of my mind spilt to the pages of books and scrolls!

“Hey, there’s more rooms over this way!”. Ayako had pointed to a set of staircases and an arch between them. I decided to ascend up the stairs, whilst Ayako decided to go through the Arch.

This other section of what was previously but a Library was a gigantic room, with a large stage. I had just entered the higher level of the same room. It was layered with equipment, from Cameras, to Spotlights, and so forth. Seemed rather easy to manipulate, had you the mind to!

“It’s kinda like my studio, but it’s all green and stuff!” Ayako called up to me from the ground floor. “Though I guess it also lacked all this Shakespearean flair! Darn, this is just… cooooool!” 

“Ahaha! Then this must be a wonderful little performing place, yes, yes… indeed!” I proclaimed, as the two of us began to search this secondary room. There were many props in a backstage area, and hundreds of pieces of backup equipment on the second floor. Lights were operated from the second floor, and could be dimmed or completely shut off via computers in an operation room on the opposite side of the room as the stage.

“Oh! Oh! I know a bit of this equipment!” Ayako said, examining the equipment in the operating room, giving a few knobs a quick turn

“Oho? You’re familiar with the apparatus?” I asked- I wasn’t particularly tech-savvy, myself. I knew what sort of things existed, but I had no idea how to create them! The magic of an engineer or technician was that which I asked for most, when it came to it! Making the impossible possible… making the stage drenched in red, or blue, or green, or any manner of colours! Magic Technology- Magitech, to quote the oft-used portmanteau!

“Yeah, a good deal of this was either added or considered to be added on my set! ...most of it didn’t make it because of budget, buuuuut you know, no biggie!”

“Then You’d say this has quite a heavy degree of monetary value, O’ friend of mine?” I inquired. Such a thing may yet elucidate me with possibilities, so that I may carve my way around them.

“Pretty much! So that means that the Bear’s got some pretty fat stacks behind him, eh?” Ayako said as she leant back on the wall, putting a finger to her lower lip as she looked up at the ceiling, thinking.

“So it would appear! These ‘Fat Stacks’, as you put it… then there’s only a few who could have possibly enacted this situation with this kind of apparatus, yes?” I replied, cocking an eyebrow. Now things were getting a touch more interesting! A seed of interest sprouting, you might say!

“Hmmm, yeah, I think I got’cha there! If we can figure out who did it, we should be able to do something about it, right?” Ayako said with a touch more energy, leaping off the wall and prancing a little around the room for a moment, as she seemed to consider the possibilities.

“Of course, I mean, you must ponder… ‘What would be the most interesting?’, saying a Third Party is quite boring, and a copout used only by hack writers! And so I shall conclude… that one of us is the ‘Big Cheese’ as you so put it before!” I concluded.

It was only logical to me! That is how an author writes, and so, if this is for the purpose of the bear’s own sadistic entertainment, he is looking to see us all engulfed in a mystery, no? Then the mystery’s answer, to not be so incoherently stupid, must be that one of US are the orchestrators of this little requiem! In such a case, bringing this piece to a brilliant Crescendo would be possible with figuring out which of us that might be!

“Woah, woah, woah, slow down, bloodhound! It’d just not be sensical, right?” Ayako waved her hands in front of her. “Moving a tad too quickly, and all that!” Ayako then began to quickly and, quite haphazardly try to explain how it could be possible that we were all innocent. “I mean, SOME of us might have that kinda money, but think about it, they could BE the one to die! If they want us to kill each other, like… c’mon!” She protested. It soon became almost incomprehensible again almost halfway through. A tendency, I assumed.

“Aaaanyway! It doesn’t reeeeaally matter, does it? I mean, just don’t kill, you know? Then we’ll be able to see if there is a Mastermind, or at the very least, if someone’s in league with them” She finally ended her little tirade with, sighing.

Ayako said something that stood out to me… she had her own opinions about something, that of which, she wanted to hide from even the Narrator! Oh, that is but how plotholes are spun, my dear! I simply must know!

“In League? Ohohohoho! Ah, ‘O friend of mine, do perhaps suspect there slithers a Snake in our proverbial grass?” I responded. The implication of such a thing… Ah, it would at least add some spice to this enigmatic stew!

“Possible… but nah! Probably not, though! I mean, no proof of that, yet! And I’m gonna put my faith in everyone, for now!” Ayako replied, smiling. “If there IS, though… that’s gonna be a bit of a problem, won’t it?”

“Ohohoho! Spoken like some kind of Protagonist! Yes… you will be quite safe, I am sure! Let us hope this is not a subversive piece!” I cackled. Yes… spoken like the one I should consider to be my ‘main character’, on this stage…!

I could only laugh from such optimism being presented in such a dire situation. This must have been what one would call… a ‘Mood Break’! One of the bright lights in this dreary dark, making sure that one does not fall into an abyssal blackness not unlike how we awoke!

“Hehe! Hope I’ll live up to your expectation of a protagonist there, Danny boy! Though… enough of that! Let’s keep this going!” She chirped with a spring in her step, whimsically beginning to hop about, giggling. She was acting rather childish, admittedly… ignoring the situation that had come and entrapped her… though I suppose that was part of this Talk Show Host’s charm! That constant positivity!

The two of us continued to explore the rooms. I continued to look overhead in the elevated seating, and Operation Room, whilst Ayako took the Stage, lower seating and Backstage. There was little of note, in the way of incredible developments like the Operating Room… though there WAS some rather incredible props in the Backstage, to which Ayako had alerted me!

Set dressing: Curtains, backdrops, dozens of random items scattered around- Teapots, tables, and chairs, so on, so forth… However, befitting I, the playwright who has written many modern-day epochs, there was many more rustic items!

“That’s not all, ‘ya see…” Ayako said, looking a little more… dreary- it was then that I saw precisely why that was the case!

Blades. Gallant Greatswords, Cut-Throat Cutlasses, Elegant Estocs! Such were the weapons that found themselves… even further still, there were polearms! Harrowing Halberds, Savage Spears, and so forth! I recalled the halberd, especially… yes, such a weapon was used by the great Minotaur of my Ballad!

Of course, a majority were just simple stage props. Blades dull, and simply made to look realistic… but among those slid several snakes! Several sharp blades that could carve and maim! Oh, that Monokuma most certainly hath planned his game well!

It was such things that did seem to dampen the behaviour of Ayako, but it remained… light, in some sense. She did not fall into some sort of… worrying, concerned diatribe! As I hoped it should- someone such as them… someone whom I believed could work as a sufficient symbol, could not be dampened for long!

It was there that the curtains fell on such an exploration… such boundless potential, all wrapped into a single building… and that building was one that embodied I, Danford Apollinaire, the Ultimate Playwright! My, my… such things make me red in the face!


	14. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New- Part 5

Jeez… why did I have to come here?

Yui, Kariya, and I were the people who decided to check up on the Medical Hut… or what WOULD have been the Medical Hut, had it stayed that small. It was practically a hospital, in of itself, now… a small scale one, but definitely a Hospital. I was already beginning to have second thoughts… hospitals terrified me…

Agh! C’mon, Tomoe… be brave! You’re the Ultimate Warrior, why don’t you try being a bit braver, and less spineless, for once…!

Either way, the three of us came here, and we heard the description that Monokuma had given to Ayako and Danford as we stood out in front of it, not having a clue what to do. It seemed to share that very same door type… so, this had to be related to a talent, right…? In which case… there was only one talent, right? Only one talent that could fit… thankfully, she was right here…

“The Hospital, formerly, the Medical Hut, is locked without a single way it can be opened. That should sinch that it is one of these specialised buildings that Monokuma was referring to” Yui surmised sternly, eyes drifting between me and Kariya.

I nodded my head gently. The strict mannerisms of the surgeon were somewhat intimidating, to me. They reminded me of something… a vague shape. It did nothing but terrify me, though...

“Yeah… I’d say so!” I responded with fumbled words, my mind and tongue taking different tasks. “W-Well, that was Danford’s down there... H-Hana’s might be the temple… I can’t see any reason this can’t be yours…” 

Kariya nodded. “There are no other doctors, here. I can’t see another option- fortunate we’re the ones who came here” He said neutrally. After that burst of emotion, Yui had heavily restricted how Kariya could do things, if only for his benefit. It… was honestly a bit concerning, how Kariya could snap from neutrality to emotion… did something, in particular, rile him up? Was it a realisation? I couldn’t know… And well, it’s HIS stuff… why should I… try and think about that sort of thing…?

“Ahem… I am Yui Samegawa, the Ultimate Surgeon! Grant us entry!” Yui called out to the door, just as Danford had done not too further away.

KER-CHUNK!

The door clicked open, the large doors opening rather slowly- though soon, they were fully opened.

Yui was first to enter, dragging Kariya by the arm. “Now, Mr Suzuki, you needn’t resist me” She scolded as she felt resistance from pulling around Kariya.

“My apologies, but I only do so as to deter you from wasting your time. You will not be able to do anything. Many have tried and all have failed. There is no hope for my body”

‘Here we go again…’ I thought. Kariya protested being grouped together with Yui, but we were the last group to form, so it only made sense that we were a group that clashed, in a way. He seemed so vehemently against getting healed, for one reason or another...

“And that is why I must! I will prove the impossible possible! If it is for my patients’ Well-Being I will do anything!” Yui declared, pointing her finger to Kariya’s chest. “I am the Ultimate Surgeon, aren’t I? There is nothing I cannot cure”

‘That felt… oddly inspiring!’ I thought. Unlike that amorphous shape in my mind, Yui didn’t feel wholly malignant… it was a perception caused by her mannerism, and her partially… exclamatory behaviour.

“...Is this from boredom? Of a lack of need to take care of others?” Kariya stated. His mannerisms still resembled little more than a corpse that did not know it was dead. Shambling around, not quite understanding what was wrong.

“Not at all! You’re sick, you require medical aid, Mr Suzuki! I have had to repeat this how many times now? How many times must I repeat this to you, Mr Suzuki?” She repeated. Whilst Yui’s skills as a Surgeon were likely top-notch… her skills as a caring Nurse, likely were not particularly up to scratch...

I began to chuckle at their back and forth. Not intentionally, I swear, just… I couldn’t hold in the thought that popped into my mind

“Is there an issue Miss O… Tomoe? Miss Yasashi?” Yui asked, seemingly managing to resist calling me by my full surname, as I had previously asked of her. 

Am I ever glad. I couldn’t imagine my reaction from her, in particular, calling me by it. Not with such a shadow in my mind reminding me of something that terrified me…

“No, it’s just… it’s like a mother and son argument, is all…! hehe...” I tentatively tapped my fingers together as I spoke. “Hehe… reminds me of a mother scolding her child, honestly…”

A faint shade of red seemed to envelop Yui’s cheeks. “N-No, no, not at all! I’m nothing like a mother! ...I’d not make a good one, at the very least” She stammered, shaking her head. “I-I’d be too strict, for one! A-And I wouldn’t be able to spend much time with them, so...”

“I don’t know about that... “. I fell into a mumble after that. Her reaction was pretty funny, honestly. I didn’t imagine someone like her to get so flustered at the idea. I thought her to be entirely no-nonsense… funny thing, huh?

“Regardless, let’s get going. We haven’t even made it past the front door” Kariya said, heading inside. I could only thank Kariya internally for changing the subject. “Well then… Miss Samegawa, could you come back to reality now?”

“Ahem… right” Yui coughed, face slowly turning back to its normal colour. She had almost been in some sort of trance until this moment… How very strange.

The 3 of us entered the new Hospital, finally, and were greeted with a clean, pristine, room. The entry room was a bog-standard for your average hospital. A reception area, leading forwards into the rest of the building. However, to the side of the reception was actually a sprawling array of tables and chairs. It seemed to be that the Hospital itself also had its own cafe.

“Hmm… I wouldn’t have expected that with the restaurant so close by…” Kariya commented, scratching his chin. “I don’t see why this is here, honestly… for our purposes, it makes little sense”

Yui nodded in response. “Correct. In some sense, I suppose that might be right- I’d say it’s more of a convenience, myself. A convenience that shall hopefully… not be terribly needed. I’m more concerned with the way the entryways are, than the presence of something unnecessary”

“The way the entryways were…? That doesn’t make a lot of sense, to me. They seemed alright… big enough for people to get through, at least…” I say, slightly hushed as I looked around at them more attentively.

“Precisely the issue. Big enough for people to get through… but they lack the ability to get anything larger through.Try extending your arms either side through them” She explained. Of course, I did as she said, and found my arms could not extend the full width of the arch.

“Ah. The issue is with transporting people on beds, or gurneys… or whatever they’re called” Kariya added, sighing. “Then getting someone inside the hospital for treatment will be an issue…”

I felt I had to say something in addition. “Y-Yeah! I mean… if people get broken bones, or… they’re on the verge of death…! W-We can’t just treat them then and there, right?” I sputtered, scratching my head. 

“I can treat injuries on the spot, Miss… Yasashi. In fact, it was part of how I became interested in such things” Yui explained, giving a smile, then turning to her more serious demeanour. “Though you ARE correct. We cannot treat such… intense, injuries, on the spot. A lot of that will require me and an operation room. Particularly your second suggestion”

“Ah… I see… well, then… I’d say somewhere, there’ll be another entrance?” I suggested, raising my eyebrows. “I mean… it’s not that far-fetched right?”

Yui nodded. “Perhaps. Entering through the emergency section, then, is a requirement” Yui sighed, patting her side. “I suppose it’s not that surprising… well, it may be problematic later, if trouble starts brewing… that aside… let’s move on. Constantly commenting on such things will just slow us down. We have work to do- both relaying information back to the main group, and giving Mr Suzuki a few things…”

“Not liking the wording or anything you’re doing… but I will accept. I thank you for your generosity” Kariya slowly became more willing, it seemed, likely from Yui’s insistence, at least.

We then got to exploring the Hospital. There was 2 floors to this High-Tech Hospital building. I had to assume a majority of the area would be dedicated to patient rooms and recovery bays, and that they wouldn’t be particularly similar.

The first place we found was a crossroads, of sorts. Two offices, a hallway, and a door to a Storage Room.

Thinking that the Storage Room would be the best place to start, we decided to do exactly that. The various shelves were lined with Medicines and bandages, along with many other drugs and relaxants. You seemed to have a treatment for any kind of ailment… as well as a poison to fulfill anything you’d want a poison to. Fast and slow acting, emetic, so on, so forth. Just looking at those bottles made me nauseous. 

“Right… these will work” Yui sighed, getting up on her tiptoes. I watched as Yui took multiple supplements off of the shelves. Her eyes were steady and her form even more so. I was admiring her incredible steadiness. “It will take a moment to find everything I need. Please, if the two of you would like to wait outside and sit down, that’s no problem” Yui said, giving a thin smile to me before getting back to more serious work.

“You know… I’ll take you up on that” Kariya nodded, leading the storage room. I decided to follow him, since there wasn’t a reason for me to stay around. Besides… I’d probably knock some bottles over or something…

Leaving the Storage Room, Kariya and I sat down in one of the corners. Thankfully, there was a table and 2 chairs, there- cramped, but it worked. There seemed to be even a small room with just chairs inside- likely for visitors seeing someone in the hospital. I could only hope that we’d not have to use those, eventually.

“Well… I think I have to say one thing, after the time the three have us have already spent together” Kariya said, narrowing his eyes and looking away. “It is… good, that Miss Samegawa wants to help me, despite my protesting- as much as I dislike it… though she is incredibly strict and rigid with me. You, however…” Kariya trailed off, before looking back at me.

“You’re being treated pretty well. Giving you a smile, being pretty accommodating to the fact you hate that bit of your surname. Avoiding any sort of harshness towards you, in particular… and I can’t help but think ‘why?’, y’know?”

Kariya looked me up and down- analysing me like some sort of animal. Truly, in some sense… that wouldn’t be too far off of a comparison. “And you dress pretty strangely, even for a warrior, or whatever. Horns, that red around the sides of your eyes, and under your lips. Powdered face. Not something you exactly encounter, day-to-day” Kariya stated, sighing.

I shook my head. “R-Really, Mr Suzuki- Kariya- there’s nothing… to it” I reply, practically mewing. “You’ve got nothing to worry about, in that sense- besides… I mean, we all have some oddities to how we dress or look, right?”

“Yeah… I just dunno- something about the way Yui’s treating you was just irking me a little… sorry to pry” Kariya said, looking down. “It’s just strange, to me, really- how you would wanna look that way. It just looks a bit… unnatural? Fake? I’m not sure”

“W-Well! it’s… fine. It’s no problem, really… and, well… It’s just sort of something I do to sort of… model myself after someone else- yeah… that’s the best way to explain it” I replied, giving a tiny satisfied giggle.

Soon enough, Yui came out of the storage room, with a few vitamin bottles, as well as a wealth of equipment either around her neck, or spilling out of a newly-acquired bag hanging at her side.

“Mr Suzuki, you need to take these every day, alright? Every day, do not forget that: this is integral to the subject of your treatment” Yui instructed, practically pushing them into Kariya’s hands. I could definitely see his point, now… 

Kariya seemed to hesitate for a moment, but silently took the vitamins from Yui’s hands. “There we go… now then, other than the equipment on the shelves… This place is incredibly bare bones, in what we can use- or SHOULD be using. Let us move on- I wish to, first and foremost, find the operating rooms”

We left the Storage Room and went through another pristine hallway. Along the way there were 2 Consultation Rooms and on the right side, two special rooms. The consultation rooms were your standard- a desk, a bed, and a few chairs. There were computers, but their monitors had been utterly decimated.

The first of the special rooms was an X-Ray room, and contained multiple apparatus that would assist with identifying an issue in the skeletal structure. At the moment, I couldn’t think of anyone who would have a need for this… though I didn’t KNOW everyone that well, so… maybe that wouldn’t be that case? However, Yui seemed more interested in the actual operating room.

A large space was set for a Bed to come through and be fitted in the center. Multiple trays were laid with pristine equipment for all manner of operations. Flawless scalpels just begging to be used, were a prime example.

Of course, in the mind of someone like me, such things only looked like they had the purpose of getting through bone or rending flesh aside. Thankfully, I wouldn’t be someone who would have to handle such things. I would be useless at operations like this… in a fight, I COULD just turn my brain off- here…? Not so much.

“This is where my work usually begins” Yui explained, gesturing to the bed and equipment. She seemed rather in her element, were it not for the suit she wore- perhaps there was more to her outfit than meets the eye?

“But at the moment, we won’t be requiring it, right?” Kariya asked a little hesitantly. He REALLY didn’t want to go through with this, that much was obvious. Was he also an avid hater of hospital visits? A kindred spirit?

“That may yet prove incorrect, Mr Suzuki. First and foremost, your body is particularly fragile. I couldn’t very well think that just changing your diet will be able to change such an abnormality. There WILL need to be surgery after such a change. I’ll need you to strengthen your body a little bit beforehand, if I’m to even have a chance at doing so...”

Yui’s explanations seemed to leave a little bit out- a lot of the intricacies involved in such a scenario- if only the spare us all a lot of questioning. Still… Kariya shouldn’t doubt the best surgeon around!

“That aside… we shouldn’t be working on that right now… right? I mean, we’re here to explore, not to do any kind of surgery” I giggled nervously. 

“...Right. We’re out to gather information at the moment, I suppose… such a shame, I would’ve liked to tackle the cause right at this very moment- getting a patient to their tip-top shape as soon as possible is the most desirable scenario” Yui conceded. Giving in, when she was so adamant, beforehand…?

After a brief overview of the surgical room, we went down another wing of the hospital. We were thankful for what we had found: a second entrance, one much larger and more accessible by stretchers, and the like. If we needed to carry someone in on a bed… this would be the ideal location, to do so, since it could easily fit into the wings.

up to the second floor. There were two ways up, one via stairs, the other by a lift. Either way, you were taken to the second floor which consisted exclusively of Hospital Wards and smaller Storage Rooms- emergency equipment, primarily, as well as some chairs.

“Hopefully none of us will have to be lying down in one of those beds…” I murmured, sighing as I looked down at it. Just looking at a hospital bed put me in a bad mood, honestly… hospitals in general. I could never shake the feeling of unease that washed over me once I had entered the walls of this place...

“I partially agree. I would at least like to have one person in one, though. No… that isn’t quite right… perhaps” Yui said, scratching her head.

Was she still going on about treating Kariya? Talk about a one-track-mind... though I suppose that’s good for a surgeon to have… shows they care a lot about their patients. Shows that his well-being was at the forefront of her mind, even in a situation that… well, anybody could die. It showed a passion to keep people in good health- and a love for all those very same people around her, be it her showing those feeling on her surface, or hiding them, below.

A love like that… is something I’ll never know. Not now, or ever.


	15. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New- Part 6

I had wandered off… alone.

Well, to say I wandered off would be slightly… incorrect. I had chosen to slow down, somewhat, in comparison to the people I had grouped up with. They had a specific destination in mind, I had to assume- something must have caught their eye, where they had found themselves before…

Of course, I had found myself in the same position as I had been prior to this revitalisation. Walking along a lane with homes either side- bungalows, or perhaps cottages? A single storey home, with a porch, an entryway, a living room, a bathroom, and a bedroom. That was what was present in these buildings.

Of course, I had only known this because I had looked inside. I had peered through the windows of each and every one of them- each and every one- and I found no difference.

Essentially, it was pointless- similar in manner to that of our existence.

The concept that is our existence shall amount to little more than an ephemeral dream. A little footnote- no, perhaps not even that- a simple dot, in the grand scheme of the greater existence that is ‘the world’ or, even further, ‘the universe’- our will only takes us so far. Our strength only takes us so far.

Truly, the impact a human, no, ALL humans can make is… tantamount to pointless.

...Now, now, I’m prattling on about concepts and ideas that are only tangentially related to my current predicament and thoughts- I should stop doing such things.

I took in the names plastered on each home- they seemed to be displayed on a screen- a screen that would only update once appropriate actions had been taken on the handbook. Most of us had done just that, though… the less adept of us in using such things did not. I could fill in the blanks for those rather well, knowing just where they would eventually fall into place.

Frankly, I was surprised that the first two names were able to understand the workings of technology… they did not seem to have much trouble. Perhaps the apparel is more… ceremonial? More… about their culture? I couldn’t know- their Kingdom is not one I pay attention to.

‘Arthur Pendragon, Ultimate King’

A Boy-King… how his ideals seem so polar to mine. He is something of an oddity, to me… someone who I could not even so much as consider similar to one such as me. He, an Optimist. I, a Pessimist.

Hmhm… yes, that would be the word for me- a Pessimist. A Nihilist. Such words describe me perfectly. Just like my Professor and Mentor…

He’s immature in the ways of the world… that is what I think. He has been blind to the true way the world works- how the amount of effort put in is not always the same as the effort that is put out. How, no matter how some people try… they always fail. He is ignorant of Sin, and wholly fluent in Virtue. That is my current perception.

‘Gawain Galatine, Ultimate Knight’

A man of apparent ‘character’- he is somewhat popular amongst the group, for that. His humility, and his kindness. That knightly character…

Really pisses me off.

That body that holds no grudge against none but itself… that is not human. It is just as abnormal and wrong as a demon. To speak of such a thing…

‘Tomoe Oniyasashi, Ultimate Warrior’

To call her a ‘Warrior’ seems frankly absurd… ‘Worrier’, would be more apt. She possesses few qualities of a warrior. I know not about her technical skill, though…

Though one thing is certain- she is strong. Standing in front of her, I could feel an… odd sensation. A sensation that my life could end at any moment… I had to wonder if even SHE was aware of it. Yet still… picking apart her mind might be a fun little exercise...

‘-------- --------, Ultimate --------’

Sensation-minded imbecile. This would be the placing of that Kintarou fellow, I am certain… he, of all people, did not even understand the workings of these tablets… such a shame.

Strong- but foolish. Hot-blooded… I am interested in seeing what will come of such a fool in the long-run.  
  
  


‘King ---, Ultimate Collector’

Hmhmhm… this one makes me laugh. He is like-minded to me, in some aspects. He recognises the foolishness of the people surrounding him… Whilst his arrogance, and his beliefs may be an enigma… I think I might find him someone interesting. If only a little.

‘---- ----, Ultimate ---’

Another imbecile in the way of technology. This would be that silver-haired fellow… the one who called himself ‘Muramasa’- heh. He is nothing to care about. Whilst his position is unique, he is not interesting, to me…

‘Hana Amakusa, Ultimate Apostle’

Hmph. Placing her faith in a god? How impudent… there is no God- there are only mistakes piled upon mistakes, chances piled upon chances… all eventually culminating in the Frankenstein that is our universe. To believe in a being so… abstract. That is the height of folly.

‘Danford Apollinaire, Ultimate Playwright’

This one… this one, I can perhaps get along with, ever so slightly… he enjoys the moment, much like myself and King… perhaps I might yet find him interesting enough to talk to more…

Yet that narrator perspective… that is something that I might tire of. Something I might find, ultimately… boring. And in a life where nothing matters… enjoyment becomes the sole exception to that rule.

Those were the names I passed by before arriving at my own. I had many opinions about the others. Opinions of which, I wouldn’t hesitate to hide… but to think about the fools that surround me more than I have to is… tiring.

Opening my door, I headed inside. I could afford to slack, wouldn’t you think? There is little to investigate here… and I am certain that those two siblings I had grouped with would be perfectly fine, without me…

Entering the home, there was only a few thoughts that came into my mind. A rather simple home, with bare-bones decor… I suppose this is a result of the Bear spending too much elsewhere… it was ultimately… boring.

Just like everything else here.


	16. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New- Part 7

“To think that Philosopher would just abandon us at the top of a hat… the nerve…” Okita complained behind me as we made our way forwards. Seisei had abandoned us, previously, to take a close look at the homes that were on the way to this site. It didn’t bother me, personally… frankly, having Okita only around was more suitable, to me. Having Seisei around would be a sort of ‘Unknown Element’- he wouldn’t be particularly useful, either, with how he enjoyed talking about futility.

Besides, it meant I could speak a little more normally.

“Yeah… but it’s got its perks. Anyhow, Okita- look up ahead. I think that’s meant to be the same building, as before…

Sure enough, the large… hall, or whatever it had been before, had been replaced with a small keep on top of a hill. Nothing particularly gigantic, but still awfully imposing. Frankly, my first impressions were rather positive. It took all my willpower to not start spouting how interesting such a keep looked- with its black and white bricks, as well as its red roofing. It looked quite nice, for its location… though it wasn’t in one that was particularly opportune.

“Let’s be cautious- the colours of the keep bring back ideas of Monokuma” I stated, eyeing it up and down. Despite its colour scheme, the castle didn’t seem to have much of a relation. I didn’t see anything particularly… ‘bear-like’- nor did I imagine Monokuma would put his base of operations right here for us to invade. Any orchestrator of such an event worth their salt would have put it out of our reach, at least.

“Right… the door seems to be locked… weird” Okita said, cocking an eyebrow as she looked for any way to get the door to budge. I had begun to reconsider my theory on the building, believing Monokuma to be incompetant or dumb, but in the end, another idea was brought right into my lap- quite literally, in fact.

I took my handbook from my lap, opening it up. I had a small notification on one of the open tabs, and so, I checked it. There was a new set of instructions.

‘All students have a special building made especially for them! To unlock them, just say your name and talent, and ask for entry!’

Our own special buildings…? There was a lot I could glean from just the idea of that, alone… and the ideas that flew into my head, specifically, were quite interesting.

“Kiragi… what are you thinking about? You’re seeing something a bit more to this, aren’t you?” Okita asked, looking down at my focused face. For a moment, I got a bit flustered. Okita always seemed to know how I operated, when it came to such things…

“Well, Okita… you see how it says that every student has a special building? That doesn’t sit right with me… see, if THIS is an example of one of those special buildings, then there must be others, elsewhere. The issue is that there aren't ENOUGH buildings, for each of us. The total is less than 16- Even further still, I doubt the Restaurant will fit the bill, precisely- so even less” I explained, possibly dragging on a little bit. “See where I’m going with this…?”

Okita nodded her head. “I think I getcha. You think that more areas will open up over time, right?”. Okita fully understood my thoughts, as I had expected of her. “In which case… they’re gonna have to open at SOME point- right?”

I nodded. “Of course. I can’t think that they wouldn’t, really- not if he’s taking them into account. The When, though… When will he decide to open them up? And why?”

“Hopefully... This could then mean that it IS possible for all of us to live... if we exercise some restraint and not give in to what the bear is looking to make us do” Okita expressed rather hopefully. She didn’t want things to end horribly in blood- as I’m sure that none of us did...

“Perhaps… Now, on to the matter of the keep in front of us… probably mine, based purely on aesthetic- though there is definitely a case for Arthur or Gawain...” I said, changing the subject.

“No hurt in trying…” Okita said, looking up at the door, crossing her arms.

“Right you are… ahem, I am Kiragi Shirasagi, Ultimate Strategist! Grant me entry!” I announced at the top of my voice dramatically. The door slowly scraped the stone on the ground, opening wide. The doors were made of stone, and at least a head taller than Gawain or that Kintarou fellow. They wouldn’t close again, I was sure.

I looked up and Okita’s face and made a nodding gesture. Okita and I entered the keep, and were greeted by the interior of the miniature castle.

Following the Chess theme, many Chess pieces, specifically, Knights, lined the entrance, with Bishops in front of a small almost clubhouse like room.

The room in front possessed a small square table with a map laid out on it, with several pins embedded into the parchment. It didn’t seem familiar by any stretch, with no landmarks or anything that rang a bell.

Also in the room were multiple bean-bag-like chairs, as well as a small spot at the head of the table seemingly designed to slot in my wheelchair to be the seat of a Throne.

“Hehe… almost like Royalty, huh? Well, I’m not just a Chess player, so there’s probably more references hidden around here… let’s see…” I chuckled. Whilst I was certain this wouldn’t give Arthur’s special building a run for its money, it was… both grand and homely- something that I thought made it charming in its own way.

Looking to the walls there were various different banners with various different emblems on them, all quite unique, though unfamiliar, yet still not foreign. Perhaps so obscure a detail I couldn’t recall after a point?

As if to suddenly jog my memory, In the corner of the room sat a large Trophy case. It seemed to be filled to the brim with trophies, all I recognised as ones I had earned. It seemed to reason to me, then, that the banners were perhaps of the countless tournaments I had entered in various games.

“Ah, that one up there was quite recent, wasn’t it, Kiragi?” Okita asked as she pointed to a Gold Trophy depicting a Crescent Moon, a sword implanted in the center of the curve.

“That’s right… that one was from barely a month ago- the Kanagawa one, right…? and some of these are quite old, actually… The one down there is from the tournament held in Tochigi from a few years ago... looks brand-spanking new. Guess he gave them a cleanup before placing them here… IF they’re one and the same” I explained. I could more precisely remember the trophies due to their constant presence in my room or the living room… parents and Okita, both, were quite happy with how much I’ve managed to achieve.

“I suppose that would make sense. He is pretty interested in the aesthetics of his settings if he is so gaudy with the improvements…” Okita commented, looking around, fiddling with the sword handle at her waist.

“Right…? It’s a bit embarrassing, seeing how many I’ve entered and won, as well, I’ll say… he really went all out with it. Impressive, honestly…” I replied, nodding my head as I was wheeled around.

“You know… Okita? Now that we’re on our own, I just wanted to say… I’m glad you’re here too” I managed to say. “Frankly, I dunno what I’d do if you weren’t here. How I’d get around, or anything like that…”

Listening to me say that definitely seemed to have emotionally touched Okita in some way… “Yeah… I’m glad you’re here too, Kiragi” She said, nodding her head. “If you were suddenly gone one day, well… I dunno what I’d do. That’s why… if we’re gonna go through this hell, I’m glad we’re gonna go through it together”. Okita was definitely the closest person to me- the person I held dearest atop all others. She’s done… so much, for me, in the past few years. I’ll do anything to keep her safe. Just as I hope she would for me.

Feeling a dampening in the mood, I felt it best to try and change the subject. “In other news... there isn’t much to this place, it appears. Just this room and the towers at the back. The Towers are likely irrelevant, what with their size. The best they could serve is a large vertical Storage room, to tell the truth…” I hypothesized, rubbing my palms together as I looked up at the ceiling.

“Right… then let’s take a look, Kiragi” Okita said, giving a smile as we hustled our way to the two entrances to the Towers, and looked inside. Surely enough, I was indeed correct. There was nothing but rows upon rows of shelves, lined with hundreds, if not thousands, of boxes. They seemed to have no kind of labelling, so searching each and every one may prove to be a difficult endeavour. One that we may not have time to before we decide to meet back up with the rest of the group.

“Right… it appears we may perhaps be out of time… I’d have to assume that the others are done, if I had to make an estimate. Looking through all of these boxes will take too long. It’s probably best that we just continue on to the Restaurant. That’s where we agreed to meet with the others, after all” I said, giving a few boxes a good rustle. From the sound, I thought that there might be… pieces, inside? That would make sense, it would be good for more tactical things… the only question was WHAT pieces they were- I wouldn’t be surprised if they were morbid.

“Yeah… let’s get moving, Kiragi” Okita replied, putting a box or two away, herself. This storage room likely possessed enough games to entertain me until the end of time- just spoke to Monokuma’s confidence that he can get us to kill…

“And Okita… well, let’s not trust everyone right away, okay? I… know you want to trust everyone, but… well, we’re not in a situation we can afford that luxury, you know? Let’s build it up a bit, first and foremost” I instructed, sighing. Frankly, I wasn’t feeling so good about everyone. King, Arthur, Gawain, Danford… all of those men gave me the worst feeling... 

“I… understand. Skepticism is healthy, in most ways. In fact, let’s see if she’s open to talk to us now, hm? I’m sure she was just as surprised as us to see that we were all here together” Okita said, as she slowly pushed me out of the building.

“Right… Miss Samegawa… you think she made any progress?” I asked, looking up at her face with a level of intrigue.

Okita seemed only able to sigh. “I… don’t know about that. I hope so, but… well, it’s probably not here, at the very least, is it…” She managed to say. Okita and I both needed what she had been trying to create- hopefully, we could at least get… updates. I’d hate for it to get any worse… for Okita, primarily.


	17. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New- The Meetup, Part 1

Myself, Gawain and Inanna arrived at the Restaurant last. We hadn’t made many discoveries, admittedly, and those minor discoveries weren’t particularly interesting, either… though it did help me get an idea for the layout of the valley. I was thankful for my ability to map such things out subconsciously in my mind, at the very least.

Upon entering the restaurant, I found an interesting scene laid out before us. A beautiful scene. One that I was hoping I would see once I knew what sort of situation we had been in.

A pleasant party.

Right now, everything seemed rather… relaxed. Just groups of people talking amongst themselves at tables according to the size of the groups they had found themselves in. For instance, I could see a group of four in Yui, Kiragi, Okita and Kariya, or a group of 3 in Ayako, Danford and Seisei.

“So you’ve finally arrived, have you, foolish king?” a familiar voice sneered not too far from my ears.

King.

The man who called himself King was sat at the counter, head leaning on an armoured hand. With his free hand, he balanced a drink. A rather expensive-looking cocktail, that was to be certain. “Hmhm… these fools decided to make this ‘meeting’ into more of a spectacle. I found it… humorous enough to decide to remain- it gave me an opportunity to sample more… finer things in life, as well- like this alcohol, here” he explained, taking a rather leisurely sip.

“Ahh… jeez, man- drinking? I mean, do as you want, and all, but come on- here and now?” The familiar voice of Kintarou resounded, eyeing the cocktail under his sunglasses. He groaned, leaning back against the counter before he noticed we had walked in. “Heheeey! Gawain! Arthur, Inanna! Good to see the three of ‘ya show up finally! Things have been a little hectic, in some places… mostly in the way of people wanting to know everything!” He said with a chuckle- classic Kintarou, really.

“Hmhm-! It is good to see you as well, Kintarou. Now then… if we’re all here, shall we cease festivities for a moment? If only to at least share information” Gawain asked, looking around the room.

“Really, big ‘Wain? You wanna stop all of this JUST when we got in? C’moooon, we can relax a little, right?” Inanna asked, giving Gawain a playful jab in the side- a jab, of course, that he didn’t feel, due to his armour.

“Correct! Frankly, what would you prefer? Ending the evening on a high or low note?” Gawain asked Inanna, who seemed to think about it for a moment, before nodding.

“I get'cha… right, let’s get everyone gathered up…” Inanna sighed, moving into the main area. It was incredibly open, that was for certain. Lots of space for different tables for different sizes of groups. In the end, after Inanna had done some talking, everything seemed to calm. It was then that Shigure decided to take a stand on top of the highest point he could find, as to address us all.

“Alright! Everyone see and hear me good?!” He asked, out loud, waving his arms about. Soon enough, everyone nodded, and looked up at him.

“Goood, goood. Right then, let’s get started with the actual ‘meeting’ part. Can everyone please explain everything they’ve seen, any improvements, little things that might be a problem, that sorta thing?” Shigure asked, before slowly but surely, everyone began to divulge explanations.

Roads with Shrapnel like cobbles…

A Temple with a new, refurbished, flair, but with false idols in the shape of Monokuma…

The Restaurant we stood in now, rebuilt from the ashes- with seemingly no strings attached.

The Library was remade from the ground-up. It was classified officially as Danford’s ‘special building’- whilst there was no doors for the temple, the same was assumed for Hana.

A Hospital, made into Yui’s special building. Two entrances and exits, with it being impossible to get hospital beds through one of them.

A long row of homes, one for each of us…

A Town Hall remade into a keep classified as Kiragi’s special building. 

Truly, we had an interesting set of buildings at our disposal.

“Soooooo… bottom line- we’ve not got a way out still” Inanna said, speaking frankly as she tapped her fingers against the table.

The air was stagnant for a moment. That wasn’t even a consideration that had crossed our minds, it had appeared. To even try and look for a way out. At this point, we had already assumed it was impossible…

“Yeah… seems so” Tomoe replied, nodding gravely. “Ah… not good- not good at all…”

“Then it seems… playing the game is the only logical option- outside of the hope that we might outlast the bear’s patience. That was how we settled initially, yes?” Seisei added, leaning back, amber eyes peering from above his black shades.

“That’s right. For now, we will just have to hope that-”

“The day will not come”

Kiragi had been interrupted with a delighted, arrogant sneer. King. He took the stance of a monarch on his throne, hand resting on a balled fist as his head tilted upwards, crimson eyes looking down on us with a white grin.

“I’m sure you’ve all come to this conclusion, already. You may say that you’ll have the patience to outlast the bear’s… but do you really think you mongrels are prepared for such a test? I cannot think you are…”- King’s voice dripped venom as his tongue slithered around to form the words he had decided to utter.

“Hmhmhm… hahahaha! Finally, someone is speaking sense” Seisei laughed pessimistically, grinning from ear to ear. “You’re absolutely correct, King. I can tell you that none of us will have the patience to outlast the bear. But… who will reach their breaking point first? That is the question, isn’t it?” He added, his face showed that of a sort of ecstasy in his words. “Once one falls, the rest… shall fall like dominoes. That is the truth, isn’t it?”

King smirked. “Of course. I am glad you are… at least understanding, of such a thing, mongrel” He responded with a standard tone, narrowing his eyes at the people spread all across the room- his gaze seemed all-encompassing.

“Hear my words. People die- and that could be any of your lots tomorrow. See to it that you keep yourselves in check, or you shall find yourselves in the ground”

The air returned to stagnancy, and soon, it fell further, into a grey, swampy, depth. That was the atmosphere of this room, before I stood up.

“You are correct” I said simply, pulling my scabbard from its position as my side and planting it into the floor, balancing my hands on the pommel. Everyone’s gazes had turned to look at me- even King’s eyes eventually drifted in interest. Gawain seemed somewhat unsure of what I was doing… what I was about to say. Though, as he would likely thank his stars in his mind, I was not here to reinforce words that had already been spoken.

No, this time, I decided to carve into them- to fight against them.

“We can still make it out of this with no, to minimal, casualties. As long as we remain united- we can force Monokuma into submission” I proclaimed, my posture unflinching. 

“An’ how’re we meant ‘t do ‘dat?” Muramasa asked, raising a bushy eyebrow as he scratched his nose, amber eyes looking with a level of intensity.

“A good start would perhaps be uncovering the true identity of the man or woman manipulating Monokuma” I replied, straightening myself up a bit.

“Ahhhhh- I got’cha-! Just find out who the big guy is who’s behind it all, and if THEY stop it, then we’re good- they can’t hold anything over our heads, and we can get outta here!” Ayako reckoned, nodding her head affirmingly. “Would make sense, if that’s the case!”

“So find the big bad, give ‘em the old Gold Koi Crash, and get outta here all cool-like? I can get down to that!” Kintarou chuckled, giving a thumbs up. “If that’s what ‘ya need, you’ve got the right wrestler for the job!”

I found my heart warmed by the slight shows of positivity and bravado. I’d like to think… that everyone else was, as well- or at least most of us…

“Then that settles it, does it not? We root out that… infernal bear, tomorrow” Hana said, stopping herself from her usual talk because of the presence of Tomoe. She had learnt just how that word affected her, in our discussion… in fact, it would probably be right to say that we had all become aware of each other’s personality quirks and needs, in that time.

That being said… it seemed Shigure wanted to speak again. With a few more wide waves, and a few claps, he alerted us all of his presence once more. “Alright then…! Let’s try and get our minds off the shitty mood with a little bit of festivity, eh?” He suggested, smiling. “What do you say, Muramasa? Shall we?”

The gruff face of Muramasa was lightened by a smile. “Yeh- I’lls show ‘yas jus’ how good I can cook'' He said, shambling behind the counter.

What soon happened was a nice, delightful, show.

The majority of us were sat down at tables, with the people we were closest to, or most interested in talking to. Gawain and I sat at one table, Ayako, Danford, Hana and Inanna, at another, and Kiragi, Yui and Kariya at yet another.

The most interesting little formation I saw was at the counter, where there were multiple bar stools. On those sat King, Kintarou and Seisei. Kintarou seemed not too interested in their talks, but due to the sitting space, was dragged into them regardless. What he seemed more interested in, to me, was keeping an eye on, and always being in a spot to support, the kitchen staff.

The Kitchen Staff consisted of Okita, Tomoe, Muramasa and Shigure. Muramasa was the one doing most of the work when it came down to cooking the meals themselves. Shigure made a little bit of a show about cutting the food into more manageable chunks- either for Muramasa to further cook or to be plated up and served by Okita and Tomoe- the four of them seemed to work rather well together, all things considered.  
  


“Well, well… I didn’t think I’d be using the assassination techniques I’d learnt to cut food for people!” Shigure chuckled, clearly enjoying the attention of the people watching. It made me happy to see such a man so elated. I suppose that was to be expected with his apparent lack of visibility, otherwise. Perhaps, ironically, he was only noticeable when using such extraordinary abilities?

I had not envisioned that our meetup would be this… extravagant- though I certainly was not complaining! Seeing everyone in high spirits only made me want to try harder, after all! To protect such happy faces, and to see them all make it out of this alive.

I had decided that I wanted to spend this time simply chatting with Gawain. To talk to the others… would be problematic, in some sense. If they saw the cracks in who I was- the cracks in the bravery I fronted with, then I wouldn’t be able to inspire nearly as much as I could- and so, I stayed with the only other person who knew such a thing. Or at the very least… HOPEFULLY the only person who knew… at least until I could feel myself become more comfortable with my own front.

“Well, my king… you certainly gave me a scare- for a moment, I thought you had given up!” He heartily chuckled, leaning over a plate of food. It was about as I had expected of Gawain- meat and potatoes, with a generous helping of various greens.

“Hmhm… I must apologise for the scare, then. I had not intended for such a thing. That being said… Do you believe my words?” I asked, looking him up and down.

Gawain sighed. “Of course, my king. I could do no less- that would be a disservice to you. I will believe your words above all others. That is the simple fact of it” Gawain responded, a look of seriousness on his face. He was not lying, that I was certain. “I am certain that the others believe you as well”

“I see… then that is good. I dearly hope that things will come out okay…” I said, beginning to worry. What if we weren't good enough? What if all of this would amount to nothing, and well… we all ended up losing ourselves?

“...My king, you should try not to dwell on it for so long. Doing so wouldn’t be good for your health, nor for your presentation for the people you are aiming to help” Gawain sighed, continuing to eat.

“I see… hopefully, this might serve as a good starting point for me to stop being such a worrier” I replied, giving Gawain a smile before I started to eat. “Hmhm… very impressive of Mr.Muramasa, wouldn’t you say?” I said, attempting to spark some conversation.

“Of course! Haha… Lord Muramasa knows what he’s doing, that much is obvious… he seems quite reliable, as well, albeit blunt. I can say he is one of the people I think more highly of” Gawain replied, taking a quick glance back at the kitchen. “Frankly, the kitchen staff as a whole have my respect- for deciding to skip out on the festivities themselves so that we may have them! All quite trustworthy, as well, I shall have to say”

I smiled. It seemed to be we had similar opinions of the people surrounding us- albeit from slightly different points of view. He viewed these people optimistically, clearly- and I viewed them from a more realistic perspective- what I really knew, rather than assumed.

“Hmmm… well what about that… Talk show host… Ai-Ai chan, was it, Gawain?” I asked, grinning as I leaned in as I watched Gawain rear back a little.

“Ahaha… well- yes, that’s correct, my king” He stuttered, eating more of the food on his plate as if to give him a few moments to respond. It was clearly a weak and embarrassing point, to him- at least from what I could tell. Perhaps… I should joke with him a little? As to enjoy myself more, of course… I couldn’t be the only one being uptight in this party, could I?

“What about her, Gawain? I must know my knight’s opinion about this… Ai-Ai Chan, mustn’t I?” I continued to ask, so hawk-faced one might mistake me for King or Seisei. “For the situation, of course- I have absolutely no aim to embarrass you, I swear it”

“W-Well… I will say that she is reputable, in the aspect of honesty. I think you will find her at least… interesting to be around- especially if you aim to hone that method of teasing me” He replied back, giving a slight chuckle as he took another bite. “To put it in a term that may be simpler… think of her as a mix of Lancelot and Kay”

“Is that so, is that so… well, you’ve certainly given me ideas for the next day, that is for certain… perhaps talking with such a woman would be fun” I mused, smirking. “To talk to this… Ai-Ai Chan, yes… perhaps it might be such an…” It was then I coughed, and began to chuckle a little. “Ehehe… My, my… forgive me, there, Gawain- I cannot believe someone would be able to say such a ridiculous name so seriously, I could barely keep it together… haha…”

Gawain laughed. “Well, my king, perhaps you’d best keep away from saying such things, yes?” He suggested with a smirk, finishing his first plate. “Perhaps just calling her Lady or Miss Aisaka would do best for you- that aside,I do not think we have need to worry, my king. Let us have fun, for tonight- I see you, yourself, are quite eager to, if such a teasing tongue is any indication!”

“Of course- I cannot disagree with such a statement, you know? In which case… I think I might further converse with the table of Miss Samegawa and such” I replied, standing up.

“Very well then…! In which case, I think a Wrestler requires my attention!” Gawain chuckled, walking towards the bar stools. Talking with the others would strengthen our bonds- we should not stick to just ourselves, after all.


	18. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New- The Meetup, Part 2

Heh. That pretty boy princeling… not a bad pep-talker, at least. Stepping right to those two grinning bastards and giving them the what for…! Couldn’t be happier with how that went. Feels GREAT to see those pricks getting put in their place! I wanna walk over there, give ‘em I good old pat on the back, and praise his damn name!

That being said… if he’s just lookin’ to talk with Big ‘Wain after that, I suppose I can’t do nothin’ about it. Would probably just tell me to leave him alone for a bit. Eh, whatever- not like I care THAT much!

Of course, I found myself sitting down with a couple of weirdos- the good kind of weirdo, really- well, most of them.

“Are you alright, Miss Annuea?” The graceful girl beside me asked, her eyes obscured. “If there is something bothering you, you may confess to me” She offered. She tried to say it in good faith and all that, I get it… but damn, does she give me the creeps! Makes my skin crawl. I swear, is she even alive?

Religious nuts, I swear…

“Well… not really- nothing to confess, I’ll say” I replied, trying to be as polite as possible to the Apostle. She wasn’t good company, if you ask me- though there WAS someone I thought was alright company… if not a little annoying.

“Weeeeell, Inanna, then something is bothering you? C’mooooon, gimme the deets! Safe with me!” The peppy voice of Ayako chirped. Out of the 3 Weirdo Stooges, she was probably the one I liked the most… A bit too lively, though, god-damn, feels like she’s on crack or something, with how hyper she is. Refreshing but… a little much, sometimes. Still, I was familiar with her Talk Show- she was pretty good there, or so I remembered… though it might’ve been her co-host keeping her in check that made her a bit more tolerable than now.

I swear- do I even LIKE people? Or am I just picky? Do I just hate these people in particular? Other than looking like a stud, what made me like Arthur? What made me warm up to him and Big ‘Wain?

Thinking about this stuff is way too complicated… unnecessary, too.

“Aha! And so, the lady keeps her secrets close to her chest- her caring companions attempting to grasp at it to diagnose an issue!” The hearty voice of the playwright soon bellowed. This dude… drives me up a fucking wall, sometimes. Sometimes, he sounds clever, and he makes me feel dumb. Other times, he sounds dumb, and I feel even dumber for thinking he was smarter those other times.

“Right…” I say, nodding my head. It was at least fun to make fun of them in my head, I guess. That being said… I had a feeling some things were gonna be changing around here.

Eventually the group simmered a little, weirdly enough- I guess people like Ayako and Danford need some time to recharge. “What a day, huh…? How things just… change, y’know?” Ayako yawned, leaning back in her chair lazily.

“Now you’re speaking sense… jeez…” I responded, sighing. “What bullshit, y’know? Just… everything about this. Everything about this just ain’t right, y’know?”

“I think that much is to be expected. This… Monokuma. This horrid manipulator… he is a monster beyond any capacity. I can only hope that will come to a close soon…” Hana added, stance firm as ever. “We cannot dwell on this… what to say, what to say, hmm… ah! Loved ones. Who are the closest people to you? Mayhaps thinking of them might give you the strength to go on! it is a simple motivation, but it is effective!”

“Closest people to us, huh? There’s a few people I can think of…” I said, crossing my legs and tapping my chin. “Well, I suppose there was the people in my class back in my old school. I went to this place called Alamut, y’see” I began to explain. “Learned the tricks of my trade there, and a bunch of other stuff. Was the best there when it came to beautying people up, if that wasn’t obvious” I added, winking. “Then I got a nice little letter- let me into Hope’s Peak, weirdly enough… suppose that was because there weren’t any major Talent Schools in my area. I would’ve thought Alamut would have become one, had it not been snagged a while beforehand”

“Ah, yes, students abound! Yes, yes… I see…! That being said, before my title as the Ultimate Playwright was bequeathed to me, I was a member of the Argonauti Theatre School!” Danford explained, laughing as he stroked his beard. “And on the original subject… hmm, yes! They would be considered friends, I suppose! My associates in the theatre business as well! Horace, Eurydice, Sirensia! Such are some of my closest hence named!”

Ayako seemed particularly taken with the schools mentioned. “Alamut and Argonauti, huh? Alamut Isn't one I’m too familiar with, honestly, but Argonauti’s pretty high-up! I’ll assume Alamut is, too, then! Guess your talents really kicked in when it came to going to ‘em, huh?” Ayako asked, nodding her head a little- she wasn’t wrong by any measure. Alamut was actually once a Castle, but it became a school for the people of the area after a point. “As for me, I went to this place called Hanagata. It’s not some big old institution, or nothing. Just one of a good hundred schools in Osaka, y’know?” She added, now looking to Hana for the final school.

“My school was a catholic school at the base of Mt.Unzen- Tokisada, was its name. I value all that the school has blessed me with- its knowledge of Faith and of Science, of Music and of Maths. My associates, my friends- it is all something I value immensely” Hana explained, smiling. I would think her eyes would look earnest, were they not obscured by her blindfold. “Though I suppose… that is not all. There is my little brother- He has the makings of a saint, if you ask me” She added, letting out a small giggle of amusement. “I think it’s certain that he shall become one, eventually”

“Thinking pretty highly of him, aren’t ‘ya?” I said in response to her last statement, raising my eyebrows skeptically. “I mean, isn’t a saint meant to be, y’know, a REALLY big deal?”- I wasn’t exactly… knowledgeable, of the Christian religion. I was never particularly religious, and neither was my family. It did cause some problems, or so I remembered.

“Hmhm… perhaps my expectations are lofty- though I believe in my brother. A fervent believer, and a wonderful, altruistic, person- he need only become more central in the church- I am confident that such a thing will happen, with devotion like his” She explained, smiling as she seemed to think of something further to say.

The conversation continued to drift to and fro- from the topic of schools, to the situation we found ourselves in. As you’d expect, none of us were particularly ecstatic about the situation we were in- none of us wanted to die yet, obviously.

That being said, I soon found a sort of solace in the personalities of the people around me. They weren’t… bad. Much better, now that I heard them talk a little more- or at least, about themselves a little more. That small surface-level dive into their past schools told me a little about that that certainly interested me… and it also told me something else.

We DID all go to Hope’s Peak- or at least, more likely than not. I wasn’t 100% yet… but that seemed to be how it is- we all were going to go to Hope’s Peak, and before even our first day… got chucked together into this mess… 

then the answer comes to… why? Why were we put in this situation? It couldn’t have just been for kicks, right? There had to be… some underlying idea behind it all- perhaps…

Nah, that wouldn’t be the reason… I can’t think self-centredly.

“Well… it seems as if you are deep in thought again, Miss Annuea. You are thinking of something… particularly annoying to you, is that right?” Hana asked, head tilting slowly towards me.

I was surprised that Hana, in particular, would catch on to any cues of deep thought- she couldn’t see me- so how did she know? Was she just THAT in touch with her surroundings…? Makes you wonder if there really IS something to her mumbo-jumbo.

“Well… I was just thinking about why we’re all here… y’know… why US? Why not… some other people?” I sulked, groaning. “I don’t wanna have to deal with this crap”

“C’mooooon, it’s not THAT bad, right?” Ayako replied, raising an eyebrow. “It’s bad that, y’know, you can’t talk to your friends or nothing, buuuuut…! It’s not bad, outside of that, right? I mean, we’re safe, we’re secure, and if we just follow Arthur’s lead, we’ll make it out alright… right?”

“I… guess- though… I dunno… I’m trying to have a bit of faith, but y’know… I dunno if I’m gonna be able to keep going” I replied, sighing. “Just… thinking a little ahead, y’know?”

  
  
  


The temptation of killing and leaving had certainly crossed my mind… but I denied it- I wouldn’t kill… the memories of the person as their life fading away would be way too much, for me… I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself after that. The feeling of WANTING to kill someone wasn’t foreign to me… but having the guts to do it? Wasn’t something I had, really…

I just had to hold onto that faint hope… the hope that we could make it out of here without dying- That was all I had.


	19. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New- The Meetup, Part 3

Stuck with two assholes whilst just keeping an eye on the kitchen… really not cool. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to leave and go take a seat someplace else. Wanted to hop in if things got a tad too difficult for them… of course, I was contributing to the problem, somewhat, with how much I’m eating, but… I was good with it.

Okita, Tomoe, Shigure, and Muramasa- hard to believe that they’d get so co-ordinated already! That’s what I called a Golden Team! Dream Team, even! It was a little rough at the start, but it was slowly getting better and better! They seemed to understand how to coordinate themselves on the fly- about as I expected when 3 of them fought like warriors, or WERE!

“Hmhm… I think we are in agreement, King. That we share the same opinions about our… fellow captives” Seisei finally said, grinning. “To think for a moment, there, I almost said ‘colleagues’- pah… as if you and I want to work with them”

I sighed, looking on at the two. My eyes drifted to the nearby Muramasa, who gave a similar look to my own. They didn’t seem to realise that there were other people in this room, besides them- the same people they so vocally criticised.

King tilted his head slowly, his gaze turning to meet Seisei’s- he gave a quiet, thin, smirk before answering. “Perhaps, in some aspects, I suppose we might- yet do not count yourself not amongst them. No matter how enlightened of your own lack of worth you are, you are little more than a mongrel. That doesn’t change until you make it change- that is as certain as sunrise” He stated, smirking as he proceeded to take another sip, before pouring himself wine into a glass. Scarlet red- like blood.

Seisei’s eyes drifted down to the wine pouring into the glass, and back up to King. King seemed more interested in merely the gurgling and filling of the glass, than conversing with Seisei. Something about that clearly annoyed him, what with the slight souring of his features, and the ever so faint furrowing of his brow.

“I see. Well… I suppose your own perspective does have its fair share of merit- though I cannot agree with it” Seisei finally responded. In reply, King brought his now filled wine glass in front of him, and looked through the red liquid at the philosopher in front of him.

“As I expected you to say. You are not cloudy, but...” He said, removing the glass from his eyesight and drinking a good 2 gulps of the infernal drink before placing it in front of his eyes yet again, the drink lowered to where Seisei’s face was clearly visible. “Clear. Simple to understand, through and through. I am sure your outlook was gained from such a similarly clear circumstance… though that is not for me to say, now, is it?”  
  


Seisei shook his head. “Using your drink as a way of illustrating your point? Is that intended to be some sort of visual representation, or something or rather? my my, how very deep yet shallow of you- pseudo-philosophical nonsense trying to be deep, but is in reality just shallow... come on now, King- I expected better of you” He responded, hawk-faced, as he proceeded. “And I am afraid that what you think you know is woefully inaccurate. Just the truth of it”

King grinned in response, narrowing his eyes a little- it was clear a little of Seisei's taunting had gotten to the prick, but... It seemed not to bother him all too much. “I suppose you might call it that- visuals drive the message home, do they not? Back to your original point, however, I suppose we can agree that the rest of the group is… woefully inadequate, as you might put it yourself”.

It was at this moment that I decided that I wanted to intervene.

“Ey- you know that some people you’re talking about are right here, right?” I added, drinking from my own glass- not alcoholic, though… I’m not a massive fan of the stuff- though I suppose I could put it aside for a little bit if I really wanted to…

Seisei turned his head, and King tilted his. “Of course” Seisei replied plainly. “I think it shows how little we care, frankly”. The man’s gaze looking at me was like that of a noble looking down on a commoner- in fact, it may even be exactly that dynamic that was happening right now.

“Y’know, there’s a thing called ‘decency’, and I think y’ wanna check that out” I retorted, sighing. “I mean, c’mon, bro, it’s just not that… tactful- yeah?”- I was sick to death of them mouthing the rest of us off like that..

“Decency? To those ignorant as to not understand the truth? Tell me… do you treat a dog with politeness? Do you ask the dog to roll over, or do you command the dog to roll over?” Seisei replied, shaking his head. “The fact of the matter is you are little more than a whimpering dog with its tail between its legs”

King seemed to find Seisei’s words amusing. “It is ever entertaining to watch mongrels bicker amongst each other, you know”. 

Jeez… those two’re just going around in circles…

I was going to leave then and there- but then a little bit of sunshine graced me.

“Greetings, Kintarou- perhaps there is room for another?” He asked with a smile.

“Woulda thought you’d just be hanging around with your king, dude! C’mon and sit down, if you wanna” I nodded fervently as I patted the seat.

Gawain sat down beside me, our titanic bodies taking up a good part of the bar. King and Seisei continued to inflate each other’s egos whilst we talked about our own things.

“Y’know, Gawain- Outside of maybe 2 people, you and Tomoe are probably the only people I’ve met who are as similarly strong as me!” I proclaimed, chuckling as I took another sip of my drink.

Gawain smiled, nodding his head. “I’m glad to hear such words of praise! Perhaps you’d be even more impressed with the Round Table Knights, overall- I might be the Ultimate Knight, but that doesn’t mean I am the strongest with the Sword- it simply means I uphold all the virtues of a knight the most. Some of my companions are as similarly skilled in their own way, like Lancelot, or Kay”

“Right… So you’re all… LITERALLY the round table knights, name and all? I mean… YEAH, I’ve heard of all this stuff over in that part ‘o the world, but DARN…! I didn’t think we’d be seeing that kinda stuff, y’know?” I replied, adjusting the shades on my face.

Gawain chuckled. “Indeed! It’s all part of a legend, you see- whilst it’s quite mystical in its nature, it is the only explanation besides coincidence, so far, that we have been able to assume” He began to explain, stretching a little as if to prepare to tell some sort of grand fable.

“It is said that, when the country reaches its darkest hour, the King and his knights shall return to the earth, and rule that country once more. Of course, that country is our country, and when coming back down to the earth… we were reborn”

Wow. That’s some serious wizard shit. I’ve not heard of no magic, so… this just sounds like a load o’ shit. Though there’s no way it could be a coincidence either, right…?

“Gotcha… bit of an odd story, admittedly… but darn, if you’re some kinda reincarnation of these knights, that’s pretty neat!” I responded, giving him a thumbs up and a grin.

Gawain laughed. “Yet again- it is only a legend- there is likely a more… non-mystical, explanation, I’m sure” He added. “That being said, Kintarou… I believe you get your wrestling name from a mythical figure, as well, do you not?”

“Yep- though I ain’t him, I’ll say that!” I cackled, before nodding. “Yeah- Kintoki is in reference to Sakata Kintoki, which y’know, that comparison ended up coming around from my real name and the wrestling persona I got”

“Right- I cannot say I’m overly familiar with Sakata Kintoki, as a figure- I’m afraid Japanese legend is not a strong suit, of mine- but I’ve heard the names of such figures every once in a while”

“To be honest, though- how many of us AREN’T influenced by figures like that, y’know? I mean, Arthur, you, me, Tomoe, Okita, right off the bat, I mean… guess it’s just kind of a running trend, y’know? Hehe…” I said, grinning. “Frankly, not surprised that Shigure figure isn’t called Hanzo, or something like that, y’know?”

“S’pose you can even add me t’ that list ‘o yours” Another voice suggested behind the counter.

“Aha- I suppose that’s not false, Lord Muramasa- Though we DID give you that name, ourselves- or rather… I suppose it was Lady Annuea’s suggestion” Gawain replied to the gruff swordsmith behind the counter, nodding his head.

Muramasa scratched his head, fingers fading into the abyss that was the mass of frazzled silver hair that sprouted there. “Yeh. Should thank ‘er fo’ that, at some point, I guess” He added.

I nodded. “Maybe! Maaaaybe!” Though I thought that was a bit… dumb, I got the sentiment, y’know? So, of course, I had to agree with it!

“Now then, Kintarou… what say you and I chat for a good while longer- perhaps some food would be good, Lord Muramasa?” Gawain requested, raising an eyebrow.

“Gotcha- I won’t be, talkin’ tha’ much- y’know, workin’ t’ make sure everyone’s well-fed an’ all that, so y’know…! Yeah. Won’t be talkin’ that much” He said as he soon retreated back. Muramasa tended to fumble over his words, when it came to some things… odd, for someone who tends to be pretty direct…

Well, whatever…! Guess I can just enjoy some quality time with the big man himself- the only dude bigger than me, in fact! Though I’m suuure I could take him down- got that Wrestler’s Pride, y’know?


	20. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New- The Meetup, Final

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So with this chapter, we'll have reached a point where we're going to be doing Free-Time Events!
> 
> Because of this, I'd love it if you guys all voted on this strawpoll as for who you wanna see! Looking at the results, the most popular (Likely the top 3) will all get FTEs- depending on who's on the lower end, I might also give them the same treatment!
> 
> https://www.strawpoll.me/20371935
> 
> Here's the link- enjoy the chapter!

I found myself approaching Yui, Kiragi, and Kariya’s table soon enough after Gawain and I had agreed to meet with the others, in one way or another- socialise outside of each other.

I had to continue to present myself as a strong king… especially now I was on my own, for a little…

Well, well- fretting over it like I’m some child left home alone by his parents, am I…? My, my… I’ve truly not matured THAT well, have I…?

All the same, I found myself approaching them well enough- I didn’t have much of a chance to talk to Miss Samegawa or Mister Suzuki, or even Mister Shirasagi- the three of them were still somewhat of enigmas, to me… and so, I had no choice but to investigate.

“Greetings” I announced with a bow of my head. “I hope you do not mind if I take a seat here alongside you?” I asked formally. I watched the trio’s reactions, and was eventually blessed with 3 nodding heads.

With such an affirmation, I found myself sat on one of the sides of the table, leaning forward into the group. “Well then- what were you discussing before I approached?- I simply want to get to know you all better, is all” I explained, giving a golden smile as I did.

“We were discussing treatment” Yui explained, eyes moving back to the two boys. “I hope to bring Mr.Suzuki back to a healthy and stable state- if such was not obvious from our interaction back at the clinic prior to its restoration- As for Mr.Shirasagi- I’m interested in seeing if I could find a way to get him to be able to walk again”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “And you think you might be able to accomplish that? Not to say that I am undermining your talent as a surgeon- you are clearly one of the best if you are considered the Ultimate Surgeon, but come now- such things must be impossible, no?” I asked, stroking my chin. “As to say… the disability, especially- the cause isn’t something curable, right?”

Kiragi shook his head. “Not quite. It’s… a bit of a long shot, admittedly, but it is possible. Yui, here, is a miracle surgeon. She’s talented in my aspects related to surgery- and knows what she can and cannot do” Kiragi explained, sighing. “I’d personally say you shouldn’t question the experts”

“As much as Miss Samegawa is a wonderful surgeon, she is not infallible, Mr.Shirasagi. Please do not forget that” Kariya stated plainly, crossing his arms. “Miss Samegawa wants to ‘find a way’ to do it, no? Then she does not have a conclusion yet- Am I right?”

  
  
  


Yui soon nodded gravely, letting out a deep sigh. “Correct, Mr.Suzuki. I do not have a way to treat Kiragi’s cases. Unfortunately, he has an… odd disposition- or so I’ve been told. Bones that pop from the joints quite easily, and a steep curve in his spine. To not cause paralysis in such a condition is where the difficulties begin- Had he not the spinal curve, it might have been easier”

“Interesting… well, either way, I do hope that such a treatment will arrive” I finally speak again, nodding my head.

“So do I” Kiragi stated bluntly, leaning his head on an open palm.

It was then that we heard the familiar peppy voice of Okita, the Police Officer, as she slowly plated some dishes onto the nearby table of Danford, Ayako, Inanna and Hana. Such that it spurred me on to ask Kiragi another question.

“Your sister takes care of you quite well, I shall say. She seems to look out for you all the time outside of such situations as this” I soon said, trying to get some more talk from Kiragi.

“Yeah… she’s strong. Not even that much physically, either. Mentally, she’s a monster” He soon said, sipping from a mug- some form of coffee, from the appearance. “A good monster, that is- I’m not trying to say that she’s nasty or anything”

“Incredible willpower, hm? Yes… that’s good” Kariya said, nodding. “I can’t imagine someone like her could remain a police officer and remain the way she is, if she was not like that”. He soon leaned back, crossing his legs, one over the other.

“I see… So Miss Shirasagi has been through quite a lot?” I asked, raising my eyebrows as I asked. I can’t imagine it was anything heavy, with the way she acts- but who knew? The darkest of shadows spring from the brightest of lights.

Kiragi sighed. “Prying into our family matters?” He soon replied, shaking his head. “We’ve known you for less than a day, ‘King Arthur’. We’re not just going to spill it all here and now”

Yui nodded. “I can understand that. Keep the important things to only share with the people closest to you, and so on. There is no reason to be spouting such important things to people you barely know- and furthermore… people who may end up being your undoing” She stated, sighing. The room’s mood seemed to… morph, a little, into something a little more gloomy than what was previous. “My apologies- I’m shifting the mood a tad too much, aren’t I?”

I shook my head. “There is no problem in that” I proclaimed. “We mustn’t forget where we are, even though we dislike the situation- to bring it up is just to be Realist”

Kiragi nodded. “Losing track of where we are would be a fatal mistake- and it’s that sort of mistake that would utterly decimate us as a group- especially if everything is not as we may think it”

We would have continued further- continued the party for as long as we could… but we could not.

The Nighttime had arrived.

DING-DONG, DING-DONG!

The tolling of the bell alerted us of the death of day, and the birth of night. It was so that Monokuma announced that very fact, and told us to head to the cabins. Thanks to our talk, and our own explorations, we knew where to go.

Everyone exited the building one after the other, giving their thanks, chatting amongst themselves, so on and so forth.

Gawain walked by my side, his tall and imposing figure in stark contrast to my own. The whole group seemed to part throughout the lane of homes to find theirs.

I found mine rather quickly- naturally, of course, since it was one of the first. IN fact, it was THE first. I soon found my key, and opened the door.

As I entered, I felt a sense of overwhelming nostalgia. A time of simplicity, though also, a time of loneliness.

I paced the bare-bones Bungalow with a level of freedom that I had not experienced since becoming King. It was as if my heavy mantle had been hefted off of my shoulders. There was no need for that Mantle when there was no cold harsh world that would bother me in this moment.

It was here, I was able to retire in a way most unbecoming but also oh so satisfying. I took off my armour and my physical mantle, letting it fall to the floor as I collapsed onto the sofa in the living room, falling on to the soft, cold, leathery surface. I fell asleep almost immediately Yey, in the world of dreams there is but one King. A Shadowy Emperor that visits oh so rarely but when he arrives, he arrives with thunderous fanfare.

That Emperor, of course, being a Nightmare.

As I fell asleep, the reality had set in harder than ever before. I was so caught up in the people, and the location, that I tried to downplay it.

‘In order to escape, you’ve got to kill another student!’

The words of that infernal monstrosity of a bear blasted into my mind. I had to kill another… in order to escape. End another person’s life.

To kill another… would anyone do it? Would I, a King, a man who has likely unknowingly condemned the lives of many, be a target?

Could I… truly survive?

I had Gawain, but he was my only line of defence. And in my Bungalow, where his Shield is cast off, alongside my armour, I am exposed, truly, a tasty target for a desperate, depraved killer.

But… I must make it.

It is for my Kingdom.

I am the reincarnation of King Arthur, a great king who has returned to lead the lands of Britain in their darkest hour in the form of myself. I cannot fail, I cannot. Destiny cannot allow me to fail. I must ensure the survival, and freedom, of the islands of my birth.

I will not allow myself to die, kill, or be killed. I will end this game my own way. The way of an honourable King.


	21. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New- Interlude, Handbook

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with this, everyone's got a handbook entry- I may go back and jazz up those entries (Though that will be purely aesthetics) eventually, but for now, this is how they are!
> 
> EDIT: I forgot my boys Kiragi and Kariya! That was my mistake, since I must've assumed I had already done their handbook entries, or something. Welp, I've added him now, so there should be no problems, on that end.
> 
> Here's everyone's Picrews, once again (This is excluding the characters who have proper sprites I created/traced, those being Muramasa, Tomoe, Inanna and Ayako
> 
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/13338 - Arthur, Gawain, Kintarou, Danford  
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/17569 - Hana, Okita, Kiragi  
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/281197 - King  
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/43383 - Yui  
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/295664 - Shigure  
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/6324 - Seisei  
> https://picrew.me/image_maker/22347 - Kariya
> 
> The Strawpoll is still continuing, and will be for another chapter- once that chapter is done, the votes will all be in- 6 Votes, so far- not bad, considering the (likely) amount of people who are constantly reading it, or coming across it. Here's the link again, if you want to cast your vote- I've got some plans based on current results, but that's just it- plans- and they can be slotted pretty much anywhere, right now, so it's not a problem.
> 
> https://www.strawpoll.me/20371935

I soon awoke shaking.

Of course I did- I did not deal well with being so… exposed, and being under the threat of death. The simple idea that only one of my knights is even in the near vicinity was greatly concerning… I knew that if someone was to attack, and break in, unless I was awake, aware, and holding my blade, I would stand no chance- especially since a lot of the people here are oddly proficient in some form of combat.

To ease my ailing fears, I found myself sitting upright, resting my hands on the pommel of my sword. Yet even then, this slight pillar of support was but a farce.

To better think myself as King Arthur, he of Arthurian Myth, and the greatest king, I decided to dub my blade after those that he wielded. At this moment, I wielded a wooden replica of Caliburn.

I did not think myself worthy of a blade dubbed after his signature holy sword, yet. I shall find my own Excalibur, in time. That is what I hope. Despite being the Ultimate King, I still considered myself to be… lacking.

That aside, I had to think of some other way to calm myself… something mindless, that I could hope to drift off to…

I looked down at the floor, noticing my E-Handbook.

That would have to do…

Booting it up, I was immediately interested in reading the rules once again. They were your standard affair- explaining the rules of this ‘game’, as well as providing Monokuma with a method of protecting itself.

  * **#1:** Participants are required to cohabitate in the specified location for the remainder of the unforeseeable future.
  * **#2:** When a murder is committed, a class trial will be conducted. Participation in this trial is mandatory for all surviving students.
  * **#3:** If the killer (here in after referred to as "the blackened") is correctly identified during the class trial, only the blackened will be punished for their crime.
  * **#4:** If the blackened cannot be identified, or if an incorrect student is identified as the blackened, all students except the blackened will be punished for the crime.
  * **#5:** If the blackened survives the class trial, they are declared the winner. At which point, they will be allowed to re-enter the outside world.
  * **#6:** If innocent students (hereinafter referred to as "the spotless") continue to survive class trials, the killing game will continue until only two students remain.
  * **#7:** "Nighttime" is officially designated as the hours between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. During this time, the Restaurant and Hospital are closed (Participants that are recovering in the Hospital, and 2 other people are allowed to remain inside or otherwise enter).
  * **#8:** All acts of violence toward Monokuma, the Gamemaster, are strictly prohibited.
  * **#9:** Monokuma will never directly participate in a murder.
  * **#10:** Your E-Handbooks are very important items. Make sure you do not damage them.
  * **#11:** A body discovery announcement will occur when three or more participants discover a body.
  * **#12:** Participants have free rein to explore the Ultimate Academy as they see fit.
  * **#13:** Participants who violate these rules will be executed without mercy unless Monokuma decides to overlook the rule violation (Which won’t happen much, kiddos!).
  * **#14:** The Gamemaster may add additional regulations to this list at any time.



Nothing seemed terribly… odd, to me, besides perhaps the hospital rule. Such a thing seemed like a rather trivial addition, to me, though perhaps it would prove useful eventually- we should not have to worry about it if we do not hurt ourselves too badly, after all.

That being said, I soon looked towards the ‘Student Profiles’ section of the handbook. There seemed to be 16 files available- one for each of us. Of course, I tapped on my own, first- and what awaited me intrigued me.

  
  


Name

| 

Arthur Pendragon  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

King  
  
Birthday

| 

January 3rd  
  
Height

| 

5’8  
  
Weight

| 

145lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Legends, the Virtuous  
  
Dislikes

| 

Paperwork, the Sinful  
  
Arcana

| 

The Sun  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
A complete compilation of my Name, Talent, Birthday, Height and Weight- combined with a limited view into my likes and dislikes, and even a slight look at what Arcana I apparently am.

I am not familiar with mysticism, by any means, but I’m sure most have heard of the 21 Major Arcana, at the very least- though, I could not recollect what it was the Sun represented. I could only hope such a sign meant good things, and represented me well!

Even further still, there was another tab- to which would explain my background- though this was, apparently, something that not many people were privy to. Only if you interacted, would the profile trickle information to you- as I would soon learn with what I was to do next… it seemed this system encouraged you to build bonds…

Naturally, in Monokuma’s Killing Game, those bonds were intended to be broken out of desperation.

I thought to look at the other handbook profiles- to gain an understanding of the people who I would be staying with for quite a while.

Or whoever would be coming to kill me…

I tried to shut out that creeping thought, but I could not- in the end, I paid careful attention to what I was looking at. And I would continue to do so… well, until I got tired enough to sleep, I do suppose.  
  


Name

| 

Gawain Galatine  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Knight  
  
Birthday

| 

June 21st  
  
Height

| 

6’10  
  
Weight

| 

215lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Honour, Courage  
  
Dislikes

| 

Arrogant and Dishonourable People  
  
Arcana 

| 

Strength  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
Name

| 

King  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Collector  
  
Birthday

| 

May 20th  
  
Height

| 

5’8  
  
Weight

| 

145lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Entertainment, Treasure  
  
Dislikes

| 

The Naive and Foolish  
  
Arcana

| 

The Emperor  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
It was here that I discovered the privacy of the profile. Admittedly, I was interested in what formed King's view of superiority- something similar or opposite to my own? I could only assume at this point- owed to the fact that there was no way to see what was written without... interacting with him first- and I doubted such a time would come soon.

Name

| 

Tomoe Oniyasashi  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Warrior  
  
Birthday

| 

October 31st  
  
Height

| 

6’6  
  
Weight

| 

170lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Sewing, Curry  
  
Dislikes

| 

The Occult, Horoscopes  
  
Arcana

| 

The Star  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
Name

| 

Kintarou Tokisaka  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Wrestler  
  
Birthday

| 

29th April  
  
Height

| 

6’8  
  
Weight

| 

220lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Gold Bling, Working Out  
  
Dislikes

| 

The Media, Smoking  
  
Arcana

| 

The Chariot  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
Name

| 

Hana Amakusa  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Apostle  
  
Birthday

| 

25th December  
  
Height

| 

5’5  
  
Weight

| 

130  
  
Likes

| 

Prayer, Charity  
  
Dislikes

| 

Heretics, Snakes  
  
Arcana

| 

Hierophant  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
Name

| 

Inanna Annuea  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Beautician  
  
Birthday

| 

June 8th  
  
Height

| 

5’9  
  
Weight

| 

155lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Makeup, Shiny Things  
  
Dislikes

| 

Dull Things, Crybabies  
  
Arcana

| 

Lovers  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
Name

| 

Muramasa  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Swordsmith  
  
Birthday

| 

January 15th  
  
Height

| 

5’5  
  
Weight

| 

145lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Housework, Making Things  
  
Dislikes

| 

Antique Pots, Rust  
  
Arcana

| 

Hermit  
  
Status 

| 

Alive  
  
Name

| 

Ayako Aisaka  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Talk Show Host  
  
Birthday

| 

February 21st  
  
Height

| 

5’7  
  
Weight

| 

140lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Dancing, Gossip  
  
Dislikes

| 

Classical Music, Responsibility  
  
Arcana

| 

Empress  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
Name

| 

Danford Apollinaire  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Playwright  
  
Birthday

| 

July 12th  
  
Height

| 

6’0  
  
Weight

| 

155lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Fate, Intrigue  
  
Dislikes

| 

Awards, Accidents  
  
Arcana

| 

Tower  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
Name

| 

Kariya Suzuki  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Charity Worker  
  
Birthday

| 

September 5th  
  
Height

| 

6’5  
  
Weight

| 

85lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Helping People, Jewels  
  
Dislikes

| 

Hoarders, Locusts  
  
Arcana

| 

The Hanged Man  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
Name

| 

Yui Samegawa  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Surgeon  
  
Birthday

| 

7th April  
  
Height

| 

5’7  
  
Weight

| 

145lbs  
  
Likes

| 

8 hours of sleep, Working  
  
Dislikes

| 

Swimming, Fast Food  
  
Arcana

| 

Temperance  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
Name

| 

Seisei Ichijiku  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Philosopher  
  
Birthday

| 

October 10th  
  
Height

| 

5’6  
  
Weight

| 

142lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Nihilism, Poetry  
  
Dislikes

| 

Optimism, Twisting Words  
  
Arcana

| 

Devil  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
Name

| 

Kiragi Shirasagi  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Strategist  
  
Birthday

| 

July 31st  
  
Height

| 

5’4  
  
Weight

| 

100lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Chess, Chinese History  
  
Dislikes

| 

Doctor’s Appointments, Horror Novels  
  
Arcana

| 

Judgement  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
Name

| 

Okita Shirasagi  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Police Officer  
  
Birthday

| 

March 31st  
  
Height

| 

5’7  
  
Weight

| 

118lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Athletics, Swordsmanship  
  
Dislikes

| 

Courtrooms, Doctor’s Appointments  
  
Arcana

| 

Justice  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
  


Name

| 

Shigure Yamamoto  
  
---|---  
  
Ultimate

| 

Ninja  
  
Birthday

| 

September 16th  
  
Height

| 

5’7  
  
Weight

| 

125lbs  
  
Likes

| 

Fame, Hard Work  
  
Dislikes

| 

Not being Noticed, Freebies  
  
Arcana

| 

Magician  
  
Status

| 

Alive  
  
Perhaps, I would gain more information, soon enough… and it will almost definitely update, depending on how things progress, that much, I am certain…

It was with the final reading that I managed to fall asleep yet again- I felt… a little more prepared than before. I knew what I wanted to do tomorrow, at least…


	22. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Day 2 Introduction

I awoke to the sound of the chiming of a bell. The greeting of a new day. For a moment, I thought it was the bell tower that rang every morning within hearing range of my bedroom.

Though, of course, one quick look around, and to listen a little longer proved that I was not in my bedroom, and I was not in safe waters.

“Gooood morning, everyone! Let’s have another brilliant day in this fabulous Killing Game!”

The words rang into my ears, and entered my mind. Yes- the previous day was not a dream- I was in reality.

Such was the unfortunate situation I found myself in.

I slowly stood up, and looked down at the floor. My, the way I practically crashed down onto the sofa caused quite the mess, didn’t it…? Leaving my mantle and armour on the floor... 

Funny, Bedivere would have taken care of that before I was even half-awake.

I let out a sigh as I don my armour and mantle once again. I knew it was pointless to think upon such times- things had to be done, now that I was awake- and thus, I began to get ready.

With a quick clean-up routine, I found myself ready for the day ahead. I exited out the door, and came face-to-face with Gawain, standing not too far from the entrance.

“Good morning, my king!” he greeted, giving a small courtesy. “I… hope that things are bright for you?” He asks with a smile.

I nod my head. “Perfectly fine, Gawain. I do not think I have the slightest issue with the sleeping arrangements, at the very least… perhaps, they could be a bit more secure-feeling… but I doubt that will happen based purely on such a suggestion” I replied to him, giving him a smile.

“Hmhm- Indeed, my king! Nay, these are not alike to the rooms of the castle- but, as the son of a farmer, I cannot help but feel ever so nostalgic when sleeping in such places, myself” Gawain said with a chuckle. 

“Perhaps- Frankly, I cannot enjoy such… arrangements. Though I suppose humbling myself to enjoy that which my subjects enjoy similar levels of would not be a bad thing. Who knows, it may even bring further appreciation to what I do have” I replied with a similarly well-mannered chuckle.

“Perhaps- That being said, my king… shall we be going? There is much to do, and I think that perhaps it may be best to head to the restaurant for some breakfast. I have a sneaking suspicion that everyone will be gathering there, after all” Gawain informed, looking in direction of the town square.

“Indeed. Then let us proceed, Gawain” I nodded in affirmation as the two of us began to head on our course towards the restaurant.

Heading inside, I was immediately hit with the scent of food. Looking to my right, I saw the very origin of such a delightful scent.

“Mornin’, to the two of ‘yas” The gruff voice of Muramasa creaked as he continued to cook. “Jus’ in time, in fact- next batch is done” He said, before looking to the person on his right. “Okita, could ‘ya handle what the fellas want whilst I go ‘round back and grab some more?”

The gleeful cop to his side nodded enthusiastically. “Of course! Take as much time as you need!”- The swordsmith gave a single, curt, nod and headed into the backroom, where the rest of the produce is stored.

“So, what can I get’cha?” Okita asked as she showed off various breakfast items inside the heated glass section. Oddly enough, I wasn’t actually able to recognise some of these dishes- though, thankfully, I was able to recognise a lot of the more western foods- particularly the standard affair of bacon and eggs, and such. 

The two of us selected from the things we knew, more so than that we didn’t- resulting in what was, essentially, a Full English, for myself, and what I could only describe as a Bacon and Meat mountain, for Gawain. A knight does not fight on an empty stomach, I suppose…

“I am curious… most of this food isn’t terribly familiar to me, unfortunately… what is it?” I asked Okita, looking down at the food there.

Okita smiled, responding amicably. “Well, seeing as a good few of us are from all over, we decided to make food that was particular to people’s country!”

“Oh? I thought a majority of the group was Japanese… The only exceptions I can think of are ourselves, Lady Annuea, Lord Apollinaire, and King” Gawain responded, a little curious himself.

Okita shook her head. “A good lot of us are Japanese, but some of us actually have some history living in other countries. In fact… take a look over there- you’ll see something you didn’t think you’d ever see” She said with a giggle, pointing her finger.

Following her pointing, I was most certainly surprised with the sight.

Seisei… was smiling! And not because of mockery, or anything of the sort, either! To me, it seemed like he was enjoying an interesting little breakfast along with his morning coffee.

“My my… It appears breakfast has put him into quite a good mood” Gawain commented as he took a bite of his own. Had he done this elsewhere, I would have felt obligated to scold him for not waiting, but… already, it didn’t feel like the sort of environment I had to be serious about such things.

“Yeah…! I thought so too. See, Seisei actually spent a bit of his life in Spain, apparently, and got really attached to that dish- think he called it ‘Pincho de Tortilla’, or something? Point is, he asked for it, we gave it him, and he hasn’t had a frown on his face since!” She said with a giggle. “Really is night and day, I’ll say…”

Looking around, I noticed even more odd dishes- and an even more odd arrangement of people.

With few exceptions, people were not grouped with who they were the day before- Yui and Kariya were still together, but it seemed more to do with Kariya’s ‘treatment’, judging by the amount of food Kariya was given, and Yui’s dutiful insistence on eating it.

Tomoe and Kintarou sat together with King, of all people, though it seemed more like King decided to interject himself into their table, for one reason or another- nonetheless, they seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Inanna sat with Ayako, whilst Danford sat with Shigure. The two tables seemed to be enjoying talking with each other- Inanna and Ayako were being particularly chatty, on their own, whilst Danford and Shigure seemed to be a bit more boisterous, saying outrageous things pumped full of energy.

Along with Seisei enjoying his breakfast, there was Kiragi enjoying his own. The two seemed to pay little attention to each other, besides the off comment.

Yet still…

“Miss Shirasagi… I cannot seem to see Miss Amakusa anywhere” I pointed out, turning my head around looking to find her. Oddly enough, I could not.

“Ah- right. Hana came in not too long ago, and just said she’d be at the temple. Doing her morning prayers, or whatever, I guess. Just hope she gets here soon…” She murmured.

“Ehhh, wh’ever. Amakusa can please ‘erself- not somethin’ I’m gonna get involved in, anyhow” Muramasa soon chimed in, returning from the back with even more food to cook up. “Feel free to come back for seconds, by the way, fellas. This place has got an infinite stock, pretty much- gets refilled, based on the day, so feel free t’ fill your bellies ‘til they burst”

With such things in mind, we decided to settle with Kintarou, Tomoe and King. If interacting with King allowed me to learn more about him… I wanted to know.

“Well, well, King of Mongrels. I see the English breakfast items caught your attention” King said, smirking as he partook in his own- “Personally, I’ve had a touch of those, along with the main request I had made”

I looked down at the plate that King had- It seemed to be something with Egg and Tomato, but I wasn’t terribly sure on what it was.

“I see you have inquisitive eyes on my own dish” King pointed out with a sneer, digging his fork into it. “You may call this Shakshouka- It is a dish that I am quite fond of- if only because it is something I have eaten many times” He soon explained, taking a bite.

I nodded. “I see- well, I hope it’s to your standards, at least”- looking at it, admittedly, it was quite good. Something I could definitely find myself eating if I found myself a bit more adventurous.

“It is satisfactory. For mere fools, at the very least the Swordsmith is capable of something quite astonishing in the quality of the meals- that is to say… he is actually capable of keeping up with my standards”

With such a conversation out of the way, King seemed to lose interest in the group, almost isolating himself on the table, socially speaking- however, his ears seemed to be perfectly attuned to our speaking.

“Seems like we’re two minds of the same kind, eh, Gawain?” Kintarou said with a smirk, looking at both of their dishes. Piles and piles of protein, with likely another pile or two more on the way once they were done with this one. Gawain was quite the big eater.

“Indeed!” He replied with gusto, taking a large bit out of his breakfast. Not wanting to get in the way of such… giants, and their seemingly growing attempts to outdo each other, I turned to Tomoe, in hopes that I might have some slightly more calm conversation as I ate my breakfast.

“So how is your breakfast, Tomoe?” I asked pleasantly enough, having a mouthful of bacon. I had to admit- just as he did with dinner, Muramasa most certainly achieved a high standard. Whilst it was not as grand or exquisite as the foods I have eaten on the daily practically since my birth… they have been quite nice.

Tomoe seemed a little surprised at my question, jumping a little before turning to face me from her plate. “O-Oh… It’s been good, I suppose” She said with a weak smile. “N-Not to insult Muramasa’s cooking, I mean, it’s really good, it’s just…!” She soon added, seeing how her words seemed to downplay her opinions.

“Haha- It’s no issue, Miss O-Tomoe…” I quickly corrected myself as I spoke. Frankly, calling Tomoe by their first name was still not something I had adjusted to. I was just used to saying the last name of people I was vaguely acquainted with. “Hmm… is that perhaps… Curry? At this time in the morning?” I asked, a little curious. I didn’t quite think it something that people had so early… from what I could tell, it seemed to be more of a dinner dish.

“W-Well, eating curry in the morning has its benefits… it’s also one of my favourite foods, so… I-I just couldn’t help myself” She says with a slight embarrassed giggle, looking away as she had another mouthful.

“That so? Is that part of how you keep yourself in fine condition?” I asked. Tomoe didn’t exactly look as muscular as someone like Gawain or Kintarou. She had a similar, or perhaps even higher, level of strength to her, but she was still quite… averagely proportioned.

“S-Sorta… it’s not quite the same, though, since I eat a bit more than I should be- T-Though I keep to the rest of that sort of diet, most of the time!” She replied, continuing to eat.

Such was how things went today. By the end of breakfast, everyone had been well-fed, and seemed more than ready for the day ahead. The end of breakfast was heralded by an announcement from Okita.

“Well then, I hope everyone enjoyed their breakfast- I gotta say, from here, it looked like you did. That being said, we’ve got something to address: What do we do now?”

Looking about the room, there seemed to be few who had much of an idea. Everyone seemed a little dejected, in that sense.

“Well, investigation is key- so continuing to look around would be the aptest thing to do. Finding out some facts about this place might be useful” She soon continued, spreading her arms wide. “Really, just about anything would work”

I soon nodded my head. “Agreed. That being said… we should do so passively. I think simply stumbling into evidence is more likely than us finding it with investigation- for all we know, Monokuma is acting to foil our plans at every step”

Gawain nodded. “In such a case… let us freely explore and experience this place in our own ways”

After a slight bit more of us hashing out the details, we all eventually left the restaurant. I knew that we would be experiencing quite a lot, in the coming times- and getting to know each other quite well…

Which did remind me- I did interact with quite a few people… and I was told about Seisei’s time in Spain… I had to wonder if such things affected the Handbook.

Opening the handbook it seemed to have affected it ever so slightly. It added the information I knew to a small database on each character- specifically, an extra tab relating to things they liked or enjoyed came up, and was filled with the foods they were eating this morning- furthermore, background details that the handbook had heard be said, like Gawain being the son of a farmer, and Seisei spending time in Spain, were added to the ‘background’ tab in the profile. Such details both astounded… and terrified me. It told me that the Handbooks may be capable of more than they were letting on…

Though with that, it seemed now, that we didn’t have anything set for the day, that I had a bit of ‘free time’, as it were… in which case… what should I do with that free time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so FTEs begin... one is already written, and will, interestingly enough, be going out on their birthday! After that, things are still on the table, but I'll probably be writing a LOT of these before Chapter 1 is over and done with. Current planning has given me roughly 10 slots. If I do that, by the end of Chapter 1, I estimate we'll be in the 60-80K word mark, though that's yet to be seen.
> 
> Until then, I'm glad you enjoyed it!


	23. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Gawain FTE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday Gawain! This was not intentional, I assure you. Gawain got the most votes tied with Okita, so you'll see hers soon after Ayako's- I thought it best to sprinkle in some of the characters that were not as fortunate in between the characters that were. There's 10 FTEs in this chapter alone, so you'll see plenty in the ways of the cast before the... inevitable.

In the end, I thought it best to spend time with Gawain. It was only natural, to me, that I would want to spend more time with my knight- whilst I felt like I could be more… cordial, with other people, but I couldn’t say I was as comfortable as I could be with other people.

I found Gawain back where we awakened- the high point above the waterfall, where we met Monokuma. He seemed to be contemplating something, at the time, though he let that leave his mind once he saw me approaching, or so it appeared.

“Aha- My king! Have you come to spend time with me?” He asked, smiling brightly as I nodded my head.

“Of course, Gawain- I’ve actually been looking for you for quite a while now… I didn’t quite expect you to come here, to be perfectly honest with you” I replied, chuckling a little as I sat down beside him.

“That so? Well, I suppose there is no reason to come up here, is there? Well, I came here because of the seclusion, really. I wanted to think about something” Gawain said, his head soon turning to the cliff face, and the valley below.

“By all means, friend- you may speak” I say with a solemn nod. I had to listen to my knight’s complaints, as his king- even more so, as his friend. Neglecting such a fact is not something I wanted to do.

“Well… I was simply thinking about what I could do in order to assist the group- assist the group as a whole, of course… it does not do me good to think that I am doing nothing for them” Gawain explained, shaking his head.

“There is little any of us can do, Gawain. We are in this situation, and we have had absolutely no luck in discovering anything. At the very least, you are getting me to continue going” I said, bowing my head a little as I did so. 

“That is still not enough for me. I have not done anything particularly major to assist the group overall. I have done my work, surely- but it is truly nothing that large”

  
  


I chuckle lightheartedly at Gawain’s words. “Come now, friend- you needn’t be so humble. The truth of the matter is, you are quite integral to my condition, at the very least- I… do not know what I would do, if I did not have you, or one of my other knights, around- as I have stated so before. Please, friend… do not think you are not doing enough- you are doing quite enough, in fact”

“I… I understand” Gawain said with a heavy sigh.

“Good- then I suppose I shall not have to repeat myself once again?” I said with a smirk.

“You will not… no, I shall endeavour that you will not” He soon responded, standing up. “Whilst such thoughts shall dwell in my mind, I shall bring about my own solutions to such problems. Hmm… yes, I suppose I shall assist with dinner duty this evening!” Gawain soon said with a resolute chuckle. I was glad to see him cheered up a bit, but…

“Well… Gawain, as long as you are not… actually cooking it, I think it should be fine” I manage to say after coughing. “I do not want another… Mystery Food X from way back when”

Gawain soon let loose a hearty chuckle. “Ah, so you remember such a time, my king? No. no… Of course you would remember” He said, voice changing from energetic to slightly irritated. “It was a foolish blunder- I really should not have interfered with Kay’s cooking…” He added, starting to grumble.

“Now, now, Gawain- such things did, at least, give us a moment to laugh back at- my, I remember clear as day the look on Mordred’s face when he-”

I soon stopped myself, shaking my head. In response, Gawain raised an eyebrow. “Thoughts of your brother, my king?”

I lowered my head, sighing. “Yes. It is unfortunate, though perhaps only natural, that things came to that point. It is how things played out before, is it not? Except, thankfully… we at least managed to defeat him”

“Surpassing our own legend, as one might say!” Gawain chuckled, scratching his chin. “Yes… there are quite a few differences in how things played out in this assumed ‘reincarnation’, is that not so, my king?”

“Well, of course. I cannot expect things to play out the exact same way twice. That being said… it is regrettable, all the same. I am at the very least… glad, that he is alive”

Gawain nodded. “As am I, of course. The two of you used to be quite inseparable when I first met the two of you. I must say… seeing your relationship with your brother wither was not… pleasant, to say the least. The more I saw you argue, the more I wanted to intervene- though I did not, for I thought it not my place”

I stayed quiet for a moment, before turning my head back to the valley below us. “Let us not try and dwell on the past- more rather, move forward. As I recall… you had interest in Miss Aisaka- that… Ai-Ai Chan, I believe?” I said with a chuckle. “My apologies- I could not resist. I shan't rehash a joke I’ve already made before, but… you think it good I interact with such a silly girl?”

Gawain nodded, standing up and walking next to me. “Of course, my king. I think… we of the round table, well… whilst we can have our moments of levity, we are… a touch too serious, most of the time. I think experiencing being around someone with a lot more energy, and someone not affiliated with you already would be good for you”

I took a moment to think. Would such a woman really broaden my horizons? I wouldn’t be so sure… she seemed like quite the hassle to keep up with, that was for certain. Though I suppose Dinadan was, as well…

“As I told you the previous evening… I suppose I shall give her a try. She certainly seems… interesting, at the very least. She is someone I can say is at least admirable, in this situation- being so… energetic, and the like”

Gawain nodded his head. “Yes- energetic, would perhaps be an understatement, if you ask me, but I think you’ll find her quite amicable, once you get to know her- in fact, I’m confident I know where Lady Aisaka is!”

I pondered for a moment exactly why Gawain would know that, before deciding to disregard that field of thought. Some things were perhaps better left not thought about…

“Well, by all means- I suppose I shall go and talk with them next, in such a case” I responded, smiling as I crossed my arms, glancing over the valley- where would someone like Miss Aisaka head to?

“You’ll likely find her in the theatre. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was busy fiddling around with the equipment in such an area. I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried to do something with it, soon enough” Gawain explained. “I cannot insist enough that you meet her, my king- such is what I believe would be best for you- especially if you wish to become more socially amicable to the others- you’ll definitely become better at such things with talking with her” He continued, crossing his arms.

“Very well then. Take care, Gawain” I said in departure as I made my way back down the staircase, alone, heading for the theatre, where I hoped to find Miss Aisaka.


	24. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Ayako FTE

After Gawain’s seeming insistence that I talk more with Ayako, I decided to do exactly that. He said that I might find her in the theatre, and so, that is where I headed, and I found myself slowly combing through the large library that was attached to it. This was Danford’s specialised building- one relating to his talent, or so I could tell- relating to the Scriptwriting and the performing aspects of his work. It made me wonder just what the other labs could be… and what sort of overlap I might find in said buildings. Kiragi had already received a small keep, of sorts, so I couldn’t quite imagine the idea of myself or Gawain obtaining something similar- perhaps I might obtain a castle on a larger scale, but… where would that castle be? In fact, would we obtain more? And how would such things happen?

Paying little attention to the names of the books inscribed on their spines, I looked through the library segment for any signs of Miss Aisaka, until I finally found myself in the Theatre section.

“Heeeeeey! If it ain’t Arthur!” A peppy voice proclaimed with a chirpy tune. 

It seemed to be that my search was concluded.

Ayako was up on the stage, setting up what seemed to be a desk, multiple chairs and pieces of equipment. A multitude of Cameras on Tripods, 2 microphones with pop filters mounted on their very own stands. A small radio sat between the microphones, with a seemingly endless stack of disk cases to its side.

I wasn’t 100% on what she had set up. Though, in the end, I could only conclude that it was for the purpose of recording two people talking- perhaps something like an interview, or something. That would be fitting of their talent, if I was not mistaken...

“Greetings, Miss Aisaka” I greeted, bowing my head before moving close to the stage. “So… what is this that you have… set up?” I soon asked, attempting to start a little bit of conversation.

Ayako soon beamed, eagerly tapping the desk rhythmically with a manicured red fingernail. “Weeeeell, this is a bit like a studio- so I thought to myself ‘why not broadcast some stuff all over the place?’- I mean, it’d put my talent a bit more to use. I’m sure there’s something we can do about getting that up and running…” She explained, looking around the theatre room- perhaps looking for something in specific?

“I-I see… how would you get… such a thing up and running, however? I’m afraid I can’t think of many ways you could do such a thing” I replied, sighing. From my current perspective, only a single thought popped into my mind.

‘She hasn’t quite thought this through, has she?’

“I thought of a few ways! For one, IF the bear decided to be generous, we could use the handbooks to basically stream it, and people can tune in! Outside of that… well, we could also try connecting these microphones to speakers and TV Displays all over!”

As I assumed. Two equally unlikely circumstances… how unfortunate- or perhaps, it spoke to her sheer optimism. She didn’t seem to think it was a long shot, by any means. If this was a case of optimism, well… I could say I am quite impressed. 

“Well… I cannot attest that we would have the cables and such to perform such a feat, for the latter, and furthermore… I’m sure Monokuma would have a sheer dislike of us meddling with his equipment, even if we could. As for the other, well… there is a very low chance of such a thing, let us be frank” I explained, glancing at the pieces of equipment.

‘Yes… I cannot imagine we could manage to transmit this into anywhere special, without any major complications’ I soon concluded to myself in my mind.

  
“Yeah… guess you’re right” She said with a sigh, flopping into the chair and spreading her upper half over the desk in sheer defeat. “Uwah… and I thought I’d be able to get back to work

“Hmhm… you must love your job, then, no? To want to do it, even in a time like this…” I commented, sitting down in the other chair.

“I mean… kinda, sorta- I hate all the paperwork that comes with it, y’know…? And I mean… the responsibility of it all- I mean, I influence a lot of people’s opinions and viewpoints on stuff over my show, y’know? So…”

Such an explanation caused my mind to stir for a moment.

‘So she feels such a burden, as well?’

Yes- of course she would. She has a responsibility to make sure people are entertained, and that those people can continue to think positively about the topics she covers, and so forth… in a sense, she’s almost like a motivator- something that should not be underestimated my any means.

Noticing my moment of introspection, Ayako widened her eyes a bit and starting flailing her arms in front of her. “Ah-ah-ah, but that’s nothing compared to what you do, right…?! I-I dunno how you can deal with so much responsibility every day, you know?!” She says. “In comparison to you, I mean, I have no place to complain!”

Her apologetic and almost defensive words broke my trance, and made me chuckle, waving my hand. “It is no issue, Miss Aisaka. Everyone has the freedom to complain about such things, if you would have my thoughts. I… manage to shoulder such responsibility. If I had to liken it to anything, it would be like the thick mantle I wear”

Ayako smirked. “Aaaahh, so you’re getting a bit poetic, huh?” She joked, winking. “I gotcha”

Letting out an amused chuckle, I found myself sitting down straight on the other, empty, chair, hands resting on my legs. “Either way… most of this equipment should be at least usable to record something, no? In such a case, simply making discs, will have to do”

Ayako soon sat up straight, as if I had just given her a ‘eureka!’ moment. “That’s it! Yeah! I’d be SOOOO down for that!” She soon shouted bombastically. “Let’s do it! C’mon, Arthur, my boy, let’s get this all hooked up and ready to go!”

Ayako yanked me along to the various pieces of equipment, and soon enough, we found ourselves ready to begin. Thankfully, it wasn’t too difficult- connect one thing to another, and all such… admittedly, though, this was mostly Miss Aisaka’s effort, rather than my own. I was not proficient in handling such things, despite their simplicity. This was more of the field of Merlin, in my experience- or perhaps I was just a tad too… archaic in knowledge of such things, in comparison to the rest of the knights?

All the same, the two of us sat down once again. Well… to say that I sat, would be true, but it wasn’t me who sat myself down. Ayako had pushed me into the seat and immediately began to prepare for the recording. She didn’t seem to care at all that I was a King, or anything to that degree- odd, but refreshing. I didn’t think one would be so rough with me. Disapproving, certainly… though so hands-on? Not so much…

“Are yoooooou ready…?!” She asked with enthusiasm, smiling innocently and awaiting an answer, quite unlike her actual actions. She seemed just about ready to press the button that would start up the cameras. 

I had already resigned myself to this fate. I knew that once this woman had gotten going, there would be no stopping her... 

“Of course- let us begin!” I announced with a booming voice, psyching myself up before she pressed the button.

In an instant, Ayako leaned into her microphone. “Hey, hey, everyone listening in on this! This is your faaaavourite talk show host, Ai-Ai Chan, thoooooough… huuuuuh? This isn’t a talk show, or a broadcast, or anything?” She announced with glamour, pouring plenty of emotion into her words. In a sense, it was remarkable.

Though that was not what I was focused on…

I was focused mostly on the girl’s name. She said it without any sort of… embarrassment! I still couldn’t understand how that could be the case, but… it was apparently so…! I resisted the urge to laugh. For now…

“Nopity nope! It’s a little bit different this time, if you couldn’t tell by the cameras, and the format, and all that! You’re listening to a wonderful little recording! Sooooo… without further adieu, I’m gonna introduce my special little guest! For this recording, my guest is none other than the big king himself, Arthur Pendragon!”

I nodded my head, hearing my cue. “Greetings, all of you who are listening. I hope that I might make a good voice to listen to” I managed to say, keeping my composure.

“Nice to have you. So how about it, mon chéri? Are you ready to answer some questions?” She asked, leaning back in relaxation as she gave a wry smirk.

“Of course- I shall answer any questions you might have for me, and see what discussions we might generate from there, then!”

...And so, I spent quite a while with Ayako, making sure to answer the questions in the most kingly of manners that I could- I made every attempt to try and make my words as inspiring as possible, and to play the straight to her comedic. Her shows must have been quite the… experience, to put it lightly.

After the recording had concluded, the both of us laid back with a sigh, knowing that the first recording was done. We made sure that it had recorded correctly, and that it sounded appealing, before we finally looked to each other and gave a light-hearted nod.

“Well, Miss Aisaka, look at the time… it surely has gone by quite quickly. It is practically time to get ourselves some dinner” I soon said, chuckling.

“Yeeeep! I’ll be headed over there, soon, so feel free to go on ahead! I’m just gonna clean up. I’ll also be dragging Hana there, if she doesn’t show up” She says, sighing as she began to disconnect the equipment.

“If that is what you wish, Miss Aisaka. Very well… farewell for now, then!” I finally concluded, leaving the lab behind. In some sense, it might have been chivalrous to assist Miss Aisaka in cleaning up, but all the same… she seemed the type to be rather hard-headed about some things.


	25. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Day 2: Solemnity of the Shrine

Ayako's POV:

‘Weeeehhh… I really should’ve asked for help’ I thought with a sigh as I slowly packed everything away. Things had gone well, today, but darn, if it took a while to set up…! Gonna need to find a better way to store it all so I can do it later, right?

All the same, despite my complaints, I continued to work. I hated working, buuuut… ‘ya gotta put away what you took out, y’know? That’s like… one of the first things you learn as a kid, right?

Putting everything away probably took me a good little while- a good half an hour, at least. In the meantime, I hummed a tune, and I thought about who I’d wanna bring on next to this little recording gig I just did with Arthur- best to choose someone I was pretty familiar with- Inanna seemed pretty cool, from the times we chatted a bit, and of course, there was Danford- though I dunno about that… he may just end up more annoying than entertaining, for most listeners… with the whole 'thee' and 'thou'- though I'm sure he's got his fans out there, thanks to those big words and that attitude of his!  


I guess that doesn’t matter right now, though- leave that stuff until you actually need it, right? I mean, preparing is nice, but… tad overrated, I’d say! I mean, I always got my homework done the night before, or in the morning it was due, and I still got decent marks, sooooo… never really had to care about doing it earlier! Bit irresponsible, I know, buuuut...! I was never one for responsibility, anyhow!  


Once I’d finished putting everything away, I let loose a sigh of relief, and collapsed to the floor with a light yawn, spreading out my body and looking up at the roof- finding a neat little detail I didn't notice- y'know, being so focused on the walls and- really, everything else.

On the roof, there was a picture- something like you’d see out of the Sistine Chapel, or something- one of those kinds of pictures- though it seemed to depict something a little different. Seemed to depict one of Danford’s plays, from what I could tell- took me a moment to actually get the scene it was describing.

“Alexandros against that other dude… what was his name? Achilleus?” I spoke aloud, murmuring the little details I could remember. From what I could remember, the play I was specifically thinking of took a lot of inspiration, name and setting wise, from the Iliad and the Odyssey. I remember when I asked him about it way back when he came on my show… yeah, I think he mentioned how much he enjoyed those stories, and how much they influenced him- and even how the choice to keep those names tied into the thematics… well, I guess one classic made another, didn’t it?

Either way, after resting for a tad, I got up and skipped outta there! Got places to go! Outta the way, world, I got an Apostle to drag to dinner!  


I had already assumed that Hana wasn’t at the restaurant yet. From what I could tell, girl reaaaaally didn’t like to eat around us, and all that much, either- Okita I think said to me at one point something like uhh… she just asked for some bread and that was it? Bit weird, if you ask me… especially with the people we got in the kitchen, too- it’s like going up to the bar on a night out with the girls and just saying ‘water will do fine’ or something, you know? I mean, you’re all gonna get tooootally hammered by the end of the night, anyhow.

As I wandered along the stone road leading up the stairs, passing through Torii gate upon Torii gate, I began to think about Hana- I couldn’t really tell what religion she was all about, honestly- I mean, I’ve heard she’s Christian, but she dresses and acts like some sorta weird Shrine Maiden, or something like that. Whatever it is, she's pretty strict about it to herself, I suppose.  


‘Eh… guess I’ll just ask her about it at some point- come to think of it… yeah! Maybe I should record something with her, if she’s not busy, at some point…! That kinda talk really tells you just who you’re dealing with, and it answers some really nagging questions!’

By the time I stopped really thinking all that hard about her, I had reached the top of the staircase- and saw her looking super FREAKY.

She had a mask that extended down from her little neck thing over her nose, and some sort of covering over her ears- at the same time, she sat cross-legged, with her arms tucked into her sleeves. So weird… like jeeeeez…!

Ehh… I shouldn’t judge that though- might be something to do with her religion? Or maybe it’s like… some weird thing she thought up that helps her focus? I dunno...

Where do I even start to interrupt this? Like… just take a piece off? Poke her nose? Gotta be SOME way to do it, right? Eventually, I settled with just poking her nose until she got the hint, and moved her hands to remove her ear...things- guess they’re sorta like earmuffs? And then moved to remove the mask.

“Ah. Hmm… Who interrupts my prayer?” She asked, tilting her head in confusion as she stood up. “Is there perhaps an issue that requires my attention?”

“It’s ‘ya girl, Ayako! I’m here because it’s evening now- c’mon, come and eat with us!” I replied, poking her nose once again. “I’ll keep poking your nose until you do~!”

Hana sighed, shaking her head. “My, my… being so insistent on that? That is not to say I do not enjoy the company of you all… it is simply because this is how I usually operate- I do not tend to do much more than simply contemplate in prayer for a long while, continuing to offer my soul to the Lord”

“Ahhh, so you just do this normally, huh? Well, breaking it a little, thanks to the change of the situation wouldn't be a bad thing, right? I mean, it’s less than normal, but it’s still a ton more than what people normally do, right?” I questioned, opening up my arms as if to emphasise what it was I was saying.

Hana’s expression under her blindfold seemed to rustle. Perhaps I was kinda getting to her, now! Hopefully… I just wanna get her with the rest of us, at this point, y’know? One person just sorta isolating themselves just… well, it isn’t my style, y’know? People don’t wanna be left out of a group, normally… and well, it’s never a fun time, if you ask me.

“I… Suppose that may be true- all the same, I would prefer to be left to my own devices-”

“Non, non, non, mon amie! Come on noooow, prayer’s nice and all, but we’d all prefer if you were with us! Even people like King and all that are there, and I dunno about you, but he reeeeeaaally doesn’t seem to like any of us” I chirped, interrupting her and continuing to press on in my attempts to convince Hana, before grabbing her hand, and using my free hand to poke her nose once again.  


Once again, she let out another sigh- After everything I've been doing, I wouldn't be surprised if she thought I was some kinda 9-year-old kid, I totally FELT like one, at least. “I… should not- though I suppose if everyone else is there- perhaps I must” She concluded, nodding her head. “In such a case, Ayako- please, let us go, then. I am… sorry, to have missed both breakfast and lunch with the rest of you”

I giggled. “Of course, it’s not a problem! Just water under the bridge now, since, y’know, already happened- can’t do nothing to change the past, you feel me?”

It was then I saw Hana’s lips morph into a small, thin, smile. “I see. I suppose you are right…” She said, nodding her head.

“Weeeell then, let’s be off!” I announced as I giddily sauntered down the steps, looking back to watch Hana slowly walk down, one step at a time, continuing to look like some sort of Yokai or something- the little smile I seemed to give her just made her look even creepier than before, honestly… Though who cares if someone looks creepy, right? I mean… it’s not a big deal, as long as she’s not as creepy in her conversation as she is in her movements.


	26. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Okita FTE

With the arrival of the evening, I made my way into the restaurant, more than satisfied with the fruits of today. I felt as if I had grown closer to both Gawain, and to Miss Aisaka. As if I understood them on a slightly different level than that of previously, as odd as that might sound.

In the evening, we had all gathered back up again. It seemed to be that everyone had their own particularly interesting experiences with one another- ones that seemed almost mythical, in their magnitude- though I suppose my interaction with Miss Aisaka was also quite an astonishing one…

However, soon enough, we found ourselves at a fork in the road. We all headed off to our own special groups, whilst Muramasa prepared dinner once more. A particular detail I noticed to be different, however, was the presence of Miss Shirasagi at the table.

Okita seemed like she would be an interesting companion to converse with- she seemed one whom had a similar level of conviction to me- and that told me that they were someone who I would find myself well-accustomed to speaking to.

Sitting down with Miss Shirasagi, I smiled. “I suppose you are simply resting before going and taking everyone’s food from the kitchen, Miss Shirasagi?” I asked. 

Okita gave a curt nod. “Of course. Someone’s gotta give it all out, right? Might as well do that myself- I think it’s best it all comes from me every time- think it puts people less on edge, y’know?” She explained, sipping a cup of green tea.

“Yes, I believe that would be accurate- After all, at this point,even the most skeptical of us do not believe that anything you bring would be intentionally poisonous. The very same applies to Mr Muramasa’s cooking, I would be as bold to say” I replied, giving a pleasant chuckle at the end.

“Haha…! At this point, really, I think anyone who was continually missing out on Muramasa’s food to just be loony. That being said, seems none of us are THAT loony, thankfully- even if Hana didn’t eat barely anything today” Okita joked, taking another sip of her tea afterwards. “That being said… is it really alright for you to be talking so... cordially to everyone like this? I mean… you’re a King, y’know? King of England, and well… that’s not what we call a position on the same level as most of us- least of all, if you’re ALSO an Ultimate”

I sighed- not in annoyance, but rather in admittance. She was right, after all. I WAS at a higher social standing, assumedly, than anyone else here- there is no other true royalty here but me, or so it seems. Yet all the same..

“In a situation like this my crown is about as meaningless as our title of Ultimate. It tells you what I am capable of, and that I am influential outside of this situation- but truly… in a time like this, it is meaningless- such is my humility, in allowing you to act with me as any other. Were this the outside world, well… truthfully, as much as I would love to treat you as complete equals, my position simply would not allow it, Miss Shirasagi- if anything, I see this as a chance in order to show exactly my true thoughts, without needing to think about how my station should deem me to act” I explained, leaning forward as I began to regale her with my reasoning. She seemed to be quite… relieved? Yes, I believe that might be the word for it.

“You’re not that bad, then- or, at least, not entirely of your own choosing. I can respect that,, at least… I dunno about Kiragi, though” She said, sighing. “I don’t think he’ll like you all that much”

I raised an eyebrow in intrigue. I had noticed the odd level of animosity, though I chalked it up to just my mind… Did Kiragi dislike me for one reason or another? “Why might that be Miss Shirasagi. I’m sure I might at the very least quash such a thing when I talk to him again, I hope”

“Hmm… I think it’s just his views on stuff like this. I mean Kings and all that aren’t exactly the ones making the decisions anymore, y’know? That’s ‘cuz of Democracy- better system than Feudalism, and all that. Anyhow, he’s probably jumping to conclusions based on your identity as a king. I may be his sister, but I can’t exactly control how he thinks, and I really wouldn’t wanna- I think you’re pretty neat, if you keep acting the way you are” Okita soon explained, sighing. “He’s a bit of a handful, sometimes, as most siblings are, really… but it’s because he’s my brother that I can’t help but love him, y’know? You can’t hate your sibling, no matter what they do… least, that’s what I think”

I chuckled in response to her last statement. “You would have no idea…” I soon replied a little quietly, sighing as I recalled my very own brother.

“Ah, so you have a sibling as well, Arthur?” Okita soon asked, ears almost perking up in response- seemingly catching on to the implications of my quiet murmurings. “That’s nice-most of the people I’ve talked to here are the only child. Tomoe, Danford and Seisei, at the very least”

“Hmhm… Yes- I Have a twin- and for reference, Gawain has two younger siblings, both being quite the handful for him” I soon replied, skimming over my own brother. To talk of him may sour the conversation.

“Ah, that’s nice-what’re their names?” She asked, smiling once again. “ As I said, I’ve not met many people who, y’know, have siblings too- both in and out of this place. Makes me feel a bit special, y’know?”

Perhaps such a blessing may be special in the regular world… but having a sibling in a situation as this…? I could not think of that as a good thing, personally… It simply felt like more leverage for the bear to use against us.

“Gawain’s siblings are named Gareth and Gaheris- two aspiring knights in their own respect- as much as Gaheris may hate to admit it, I would think they both want to take after their brother. In fact, Gaheris has already joined us as a knight- though, unfortunately, has not proven himself to become one of the Knights of the Round. That aside… I also have a brother. My brother is named Mordred, and I would desire not to speak of him much” I soon said,, lowering my gaze to the table below.

“That so? Well then… I won't pry anymore into him. Perhaps you’d be more willing to share your past with him another time, once we’ve gotten to know each other a little better? There’s a lot of history between you and him, I can tell. If there wasn’t… talking about him wouldn’t upset you too much” Okita replied, nodding her head and taking a sip of her tea once again. I wouldn’t be surprised if Okita had already understood the bad blood purely by our names alone. Truly, my knights and I have practically acted out that legend all over again… though thankfully, with far fewer problems, as of right now.

“My thanks, Miss Shirasagi. Perhaps you are right… to talk about it again, to someone not involved...yes, it might provide a fresh perspective- though I cannot think I’m quite ready to discuss it with just about anyone, however” 

In response to my reluctance, Okita simply nodded. “If it’s something big, then of course not. It’s understandable- Just know that I’ll listen if you wanna talk about it, y’know? I got my own stuff I wanna get off my chest eventually, as well” She responded somewhat cryptically. The both of us seemed to have some commonalities in our thoughts and feelings. Such was how we had been moulded by the world, it seemed- and such as how I must have found myself drawn to the Police Officer before me this evening. I suppose I felt that kinship, upon seeing her and Kiragi- the siblinghood I wish I could have had lasted just as long...

"Ey, Okita! Fancy helpin' me out wi' all o' this?" The gruff country voice of Muramasa grunted from behind the counter- he seemed to have already prepared some of the meals for this evening... and by the scent, I could tell that they would be on par, or perhaps better, than what he had cooked the previous evening.  


"Unfortunately, it look like our time's been cut short. Seeya 'round, Arthur!" Okita said with a smile as she got up and went behind the counter.

"That is no issue- Farewell, Miss Shirasagi!" I said in farewell. I had little else to do besides simply watch what was going on around me, at the moment.

I took notice of Okita's diligent and responsible nature in relation to her work- likely that due to being an older sibling looking after a younger one, and perhaps also growing ever-stronger from becoming an officer of the law. My own diligence, and feeling of responsibility, stemmed from the role I took as king- though perhaps my role as the more… mature, of the twins may have impacted such as well? Perhaps in my earlie years...

In a sense… might I consider myself alike to that of an older brother to my subjects?

...No, that would be irresponsible.

To conduct myself as king, I must look impartially- see what it is they wish for, and bring it to fruition by any means necessary- yet I must also be stern, but fair, in my rulings. Such a way of life...might it fit me more into the role of the father? No, no… I must be the king, and nothing more. I must think of my people as important, but I cannot form a strong emotional bond, or I will not be able to do what must be done, on some occasions. I cannot allow myself to make any mistakes, as a king. I must remain virtuous, and continue to stray from the path of sin.


	27. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Day 2: Conclusion

It was when I began to eat, that I heard the opening of the door, and the bombastic striding of Ayako. 

“Heyoooooo…! Your favourite Talk Show Host presents to yooouuuu… An Apostle!” She said with a giggle, gesturing to the somewhat motionless Hana. It took me until now to notice how dull her movements were… just seeing them contrasted with Ayako’s made me think of her as something more like a statue- with the blindfold, she had need only a sword and scales to be like that of Lady Justice- such was her appearance.

“Greetings. I suppose I shall be… partaking in meals with you, My apologies for not… presenting myself, for Breakfast or Lunch, or anything of that ilk. I ask your forgiveness” Hana finally said, bowing her head, ectoplasm-like hair trailing down from her head, flowing down to the floor.

“S’alright. Jus’ take a seat, an’ I’ll fix ‘ya somethin’ t’ eat” Muramasa replied, scratching his bushy eyebrows. He seemed even a little relieved that Hana was deciding to eat with the rest of us.

“My thanks, Swordsmith” Hana replied with, yet again, another robotic bow, and began to wander. I watched as she sat down with Ayako, and the two began to talk. About what, I was uncertain- nor did I really care to know. To eavesdrop is not a noble thing to do, after all.

I glanced to my right, and I cracked a smile. Gawain, Yui and Kariya were conversing on another table. Perhaps I’ve thought this once or twice before since I’ve came here, but… it felt good to see Gawain socialising. He was, by absolutely no means, antisocial, but… in some sense, it felt good to know that the man was forming more relations besides myself.

“O’ truly, darkest night! Dost thou not bestow the king with a friend in his sights? For shame, for shame!” Rang the truly theatrical voice of Danford. I needn’t even think about who it might be- the voice, and the words, betrayed all of that.

“Hmhm- I suppose I might be, in some sense. How fare you, Mr Apollinare? I hope everything is well?”

Danford shook his head with a smile, scratching his beard. “Of course there is something amiss! A character as imposing, and important as yourself? Without a single trace of a person to interact, to converse, to deepen bonds with?! Ahhh, how hast fortune forsaken the art of the story!” He said with his arms widened. “And so… I suppose the narrator must intervene, and provide you with the all-important interaction a man of your station in this play needs!”

I was immediately befuddled by his choice of words… all the same, I simply nodded my head. “I see- well then, feel free to take a seat, if that is what you wish” I responded, gesturing to the seat opposite.

Danford gladly took up the seat, tossing a book to the table in front of him, opening up the page, flipping through them, as if looking for no page in particular, before stopping. “And so it’s been decided… The cards have been dealt, and the great question hath been presented to me! ...Lend me your inquiries, O’ King of Virtue- unravel your mind before me like that of a loose knot!”

So he wants me to ask questions… just what questions does he intend me to ask…? Questions about him? Questions about the people around us? Questions about the situation we’ve found ourselves in? I suppose I’ll start with the first.

“Well, Mr Apollinare, I’d love to know what you’ve been up to- what sort of things have caught your eye? I’m sure you’ve been looking for things that are particularly interesting, no?” I asked, leaning forward.

Danford nodded quickly. “Indeed, indeed! Gadzooks, you seem to understand mine own mind already! Yes, yes, very good… to answer your question… I’ve been scouting around, looking to see where the most interesting point of the narrative may lay! Today, I found myself amongst the likes of the Beautician, the Surgeon and the Charity Worker- indeed… yes, the Beautician was… perhaps, a wonderful source of comic levity, but I shall not waste your time with that, since my words lack brevity! The Surgeon hewn of Iron and Blood, and the shambling corpse of a Charity Worker… my, I think they have made for quite the interesting duo!”

“From what I could recall, Miss Samegawa was trying to treat Mr Suzuki’s… issues, to put it lightly- how has the man fared so far?” I asked- to think, there may yet have been progress I was not aware of…

Danford grinned, pulling at his beard gently, as if combing through it. “Quite well! Ah, that woman is alike to a healing angel- nay, Asclepius! With her knowledge, I wonder if one such as he could cure even a strike from the Reaper’s Scythe! Such is how she is deserving of the title of ‘Ultimate Surgeon’, or so I do suppose!”

“So she has been quite successful? That is good- at least Mr Suzuki will be able to do more than simply walk, and act neutrally” I affirmed with a nod.

“Indeed, indeed! He who sacrifices his own body for the unfortunate- he whose own body is your bodies- shall soon be able to do more strenuous things! Even now, in this very restaurant, do they continue to try and adjust him- such is that she herself seems as a broken human, for she seems to not have need for sleep- such is her diligence!”

“Hmhm… I see” I say, smiling. It seemed to be that even more was happening than I was aware of- though I suppose that is only natural- I cannot be in multiple places at once, to bear witness to everything, after all… “Well, it very well seems it IS possible… well, I suppose she is not an ultimate for nothing”.

“Fuhahaha- indeed, indeed, there is something to be said about ultimates, is there not? Exemplars in their field, I suppose we all are, are we not?” Danford said with a hearty chuckle as he flipped his pages all over again. “Yet one must ask… how many of us are worthy of the title of Ultimate?”

I raised an eyebrow in intrigue. “What might you be implying, Mr Apollinaire?” I asked, perplexed.

“We all possess such a grand title as ultimate- but what are the true STANDARDS of becoming an ultimate- yes, that would make for an interesting narrative question, yes? ...hmmm… but maybe it would be best coupled with some sort of thematic…” Danford explained as he began to mumble. “Ah, fie, and fie again, I am going off-topic…! I am certain that saving time would be better… so I shall ask of ye, O’ King… are you worthy of your title? Am I worthy of my own? Mayhaps we might question our shame-faced Warrior, or our willful Wrestler? What truly makes an Ultimate… an Ultimate?”

I had pegged Danford for such a person- such a person who loved to continually ask questions, and continually follow lines of thought- in a sense, I thought of him as much a philosopher as Seisei- though I suppose Seisei has something that put him a cut above others… that is why he has such a title, right?

Though I was more concerned about… my own title, in this moment. By posing me such a question, I was immediately reminded of times long past- times where I was wracked with nothing but doubt of my own ability- such was how I was then… though not now.

Now, I was a King with… a lot less doubt, than I had before- When I almost crumbled feeling the weight of the crown on my head, and mantle on my shoulders… my knights were there- and my knights helped me- no… they saved me.

And it was the fact that they saved me which provided me the courage, and the will, to give Danford my answer.

“There are perhaps moments, where I am not worthy- there are moments where my legs shall turn to lead, and I shall be barely able to move- yet I shall not fall- for that is because I cannot fall- just as I cannot allow myself to not be the greatest king I can be- and the greatest king the world has seen”

Danford simply looked on, and grinned. “I see… yes, that’s intriguing! I think… no, I know, that you shall be quite pivotal in this narrative!” He soon replied. “To see your highs and lows… that is something I wish for! To see how you are modeled and changed by the game that is unfolding with us in the center! If this game is a lily, I wish to see your petal be one of the ever-grandest!”

Soon enough, I heard that infernal bell chime once more. The end of the day had come once more- and without warning, as expected.

“And so it seems we are out of time… unfortunate! I would have very much liked to peer deeper into your mindset, so that I might understand the construction of this writing” Danford said with a smile as he got up from his seat, taking his book with him. I hadn’t noticed, but out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the book’s pages had nothing but a simple mark- a mark that denoted, assumedly, a topic- he had entirely left this interaction up to the whims of fate.

Such was how he acts, I suppose. All the same, I left through the door of the restaurant, and wandered home.


	28. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Day 3: Introduction

The day began in the same way as the previous. The very self-same announcement chimed, invading my ears and rousing me from sleep. Already, I seemed to be able to accept that this was reality- as odd as the situation I found myself within was.

The very self-same morning routine. Clean myself, get dressed, and leave the house. It was in these moments that I appreciated the smaller living space- it felt less… lonely, despite there being only me inside. Though perhaps not feeling lonely, when you are assumedly all alone in a Killing Game like this, would be considered… concerning.

Almost the very same small talk with Gawain. Idle chatter about the night before. Though he did inform me of the continued surgery of Kariya. I would have to talk to him, and his doubtlessly talented surgeon, one of these days…

“Ah, so you did go and talk with Lady Aisaka? Ahaha, well my king, I think you’ll find her to be a fast friend, in these times- a ray of positivity, as it were- and Lady Shirasagi? She shall doubtless also be an incredible companion- someone who shall stick with you to the end- that unwavering loyalty to her brother is alike mine and yours, I like to think”

I chuckled. “I suppose that is true- as my cousin, Gawain, I can only hope you would have faith in me”- It was in that moment, perhaps, that I wondered about what Okita said the previous evening, and my own thoughts about it- Gawain was almost like my very own older brother- despite me actually being a few months older than him. That being said...

Already, this situation had already seemed to grow almost robotic, when it came to the morning routine- as if I was already back in my element. That being said… the breakfast seemed to change, at the very least.

Seisei seemed to remain with his personal favourite, from what I could tell without getting close enough to check, but it seemed to be that most people had changed their breakfast from the previous day, as if to break up the apparent monotony of the situation.

Whilst I was somewhat friendly with most members of the group, I was most interested in talking to Miss Aisaka, due to the events of the following day- frankly, I was curious about the tape- so, in the end, I sat down and ate breakfast with her. Gawain, meanwhile, sat close by, next to Kintarou once again. There was no need to keep looking over at his table, so I turned my attention back to Ayako.

Looking at her plate… I had to wonder if you could call it a breakfast. It was small, sure, but… it was not exactly traditional.

“Hmhm… likin’ the look of my cake, eh, Arthur?” She asked with a smirk. “It’s what ‘ya call an Opera Cake, y’see. I would’ve gone with something with a bit more of an… ‘up-its-own-ass sounding name buuuuuut…! This was what I was up to eating today!” She replied, giggling as she pierced the layered cake with her fork, taking a rather small bite out of it.

“Hmm… It doesn’t sound or look particularly Japanese… Is it perhaps French? They are quite the masters of such food as desserts, and the like. I furthermore seem to remember you using a little bit of French yesterday, if only short phrases”

Ayako whistled, leaning back in her chair a bit. “Looks like someone paid attention in class! You’re totally right- And that’s ‘cuz I love my French stuff y’see? I liked to take vacations over there, until some stuff happened” She said, shrugging. “Though I dunno if you’d have heard about it, if you didn’t know my name, or anything- though it was preeeeetty big”

“Aaah, so it was something of a relevant event, was it? Hmm… I see- well, I cannot say I follow celebrities, or anything of the sort, to be frank with you. Other than that… well, there’s the way of following things like… theatre, and such, I suppose- that is how I knew of Mr Apollinaire, at least. Also- erm, might I perhaps… know, what it is that happened? The event that caused you to not want to go to France, that is, if you’re comfortable with sharing it”

Ayako seemed to mull over my words for perhaps a few seconds before she shrugged. “Sure. I just got kidnapped, is all”

Now it was my turn to mull over her words- though perhaps a lot more perplexed than she was towards mine- though perhaps ‘surprised’ would be a better term than ‘mull over’ in this case. Kidnapped…? Well, I suppose that does explain why you wouldn’t want to go overseas, doesn’t it…?

“I see… you say that as if little is wrong with that, however…” I murmur, shaking my head. “I cannot see why such a thing can be taken lightly…”

Ayako soon shook her head, leaning forward. “Yeaaaah… still, it happened long ago enough that I can feel open about it, at least a little. Besides… gotta say, it uhhh… went alright” She said, giggling as if remembering something.

“Well, I would assume things went alright, considering you’ve seemingly come out unscathed, and so forth- I assume you were rescued, and all such?” I asked, a little interested in this little story. Admittedly, it was a bit… unbecoming of me, to want to know such things, but I couldn’t help my curiosity.

“Hmhm… yeah- bit action-packed, to put it lightly. He was all BAM BAM! And they were all like BLEEEH!- know what I mean?” She replied, being a little vague, for my liking. “Never got his name… but he was pretty cool, if not a little, uhh… depressing-sounding” 

Hmm… sounds oddly familiar… though that possibility would be minor, at best, right…? I’ll keep quiet about that, for now. There’s no need to continue this more than necessary.

”I see…! Let us stray from the topic- I needn’t accidentally bring up bad memories for you by digging too deep, and so forth- let us discuss the tape: how is that going?” I soon responded curiously.

Ayako seemed to somewhat appreciate the change of subject, albeit perhaps vaguely unconsciously. “Oooohh, that? Weeeeell, you’ll hear it, eventually, I’m sure” She said with a wink. “I’ll be using it all, soon enough…”

Whilst the way she said it made it sound ominous, I was quite… excited- the fact that I’ve never done anything like this before likely contributed to that, however- it was quite the interesting venture, all the same…

“That so…? Hmm… well, I am sure that it will live up to my expectations” I reply, nodding. I knew that the end of breakfast would soon come to pass- well, the time I allotted myself for breakfast, that is. I was in the mood for some sort of athletics- or perhaps something more, like sword fighting- I still had the wooden sword I was assigned once I had woken up, after all.

After a brief period of discussion, mumbling about the most random of subjects, the entire group parted ways. The question was… where to go? Hana was most certainly at the shrine, Muramasa was likely still in the kitchen… I could probably look around for further people, as well- such an idea seemed quite interesting. Though judging by my want for exercise, I had only one person I wished to see, as of right now.


	29. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Tomoe FTE

With the conclusion of breakfast, I knew what I wanted to spend my early morning doing. I decided to practice sword fighting, and there was but one person I felt I could spar with, today.

I thought it best not to ask Gawain to spar, since I had already sparred with me so many times- the both of us were already so keenly aware of how each other fought… and so, there was little value to be gained, in comparison to sparring with another person.

There were only 2 other sword fighters, to my knowledge- quite a lot, in the scope of the 16 people here, but that just made me feel as if I fit in more, in some odd sense- those two people were Okita and Tomoe.

Okita, I assumed, would want to go and spend more time with her brother- and take care of him. He more than likely had a capable mind… but not a capable body, unfortunately. His circumstances likely meant that, outside of the restaurant, Okita wouldn’t want to leave Kiragi’s side- such was the responsible sister that she was. Truly, the only reason Gawain felt he could part with me was due to his trust in my own strength- he had seen me fight first-hand, after all. Whilst I do not outclass him in swordplay, not by any means whatsoever, I was still a more capable fighter than most here.

That being said, there was still one who utterly outclassed even Gawain in at least brute strength, and overall finesse. That person was Tomoe.

Given her anxious nature, I was quite surprised to learn she was the Ultimate Warrior… though, if that was her title, then I would love to test it.

Meeting with Tomoe was… difficult- but there came a point where I found her. I wasn’t sure where to find her, but I eventually did after a short bit of conversation with Kintarou- she was in a slightly thicker part of the woods, in order to train. It seems she had the very same idea, wielding that oriental spear of hers, spinning it so fast that she made visible circles in the air as she did so. All the same… her face did not look like that of a warrior- it seemed almost as if her body moved on its own when she trained, like a reflex, more than anything.

“Greetings, Miss Tomoe!” I called over in greeting, giving a wave.

It was in that moment, that Tomoe almost instantly stopped spinning her spear, jittering a little once she did. “A-Ah! Arthur… hello!” She greeted, holding the spear neutrally, the bottom half balancing against the ground.

“I see you also thought to get some training done. Since we are of the same mind, would you care to spar?” I asked pleasantly, drawing my sword.

Tomoe’s eyes widened, taking a step back and turning her face away from me… “I-I shouldn’t…! I-I mean… it’s not a good idea… P-Please, Arthur…” She seemed to beg, looking over to me with rather cautious eyes.

“Come now… is it really such an issue? You needn’t worry about hurting me, I can handle myself well enough with a blade- and I’m sure, even with your strength, a wooden blade cannot pierce my armour” I replied, chuckling as I held out my sword. “Of course, if you wish not to, that is perfectly fine… we can simply do drills alongside each other, instead- I simply thought it would be more interesting to engage in sparring against an opponent such as yourself”

Tomoe… slowly stopped jittering. Looking up at her soft face, she let out a sigh and brought a hand to the wooden sword at her waist. “Alright… if that’s what you… want, Arthur, I’ll… I’ll do it” She responded, squeezing her eyes shut, seemingly in nervousness.

“Wonderful. Well then- have at you!” I replied joyously as I prepared for my assault. I started in the Vom Dach stance, raising my arms above my head, sword almost if it was behind my head.

In contrast, it seemed to be that Tomoe took a lower stance, keeping her blade at around the same level as her eyes. I had never seen a style such as this before- though I suppose that is because I have never fought Eastern warriors.

“Vom Dach, right?” Tomoe asked with a smile. “It’s a good style, admittedly. You can turn to a bunch of other styles from that, can’t you?” She added, seeming the slightest bit more confident in this moment.

“Indeed it is- unfortunately, I cannot say I know the name of the style you are using, but… I can tell the technique is quite direct in its strikes, based on how you hold that sword” I replied, giving a smile of my own. “Unlike my own stance, it appears that you will find it harder to switch between styles… though since you’re the Ultimate Warrior, I think it safe to call that a simple ‘handicap’, wouldn’t you say?”

Tomoe giggled in response, nodding her head. “Pretty on the mark. This is Mugai-Ryu. I learnt it when I was around… 13, I wanna say?”

All the same, this was not a real battle- and that was something the both of us had to remember. Training may end up becoming a real conflict, if we were not careful. Though thankfully… it seemed neither of us were intent on that, since we had let each other talk before starting.

And, as you would expect, it was over in perhaps… a few seconds, at best.

Tomoe leapt forward with unparalleled agility, causing me to block her initial strike. Doing this lowered my guard into Alber, and caused a clash of our wooden swords.

Frankly, I didn’t think I would ever experience such powerful attacks from simply wooden swords- but they were quite useful, in that regard.

Though of course, it ended quickly after that.

  
Her strength overwhelming, my stance was broken and she dealt a clean strike to my side, hitting the plate armour there. I then proceeded to fall down on the floor, laying in the grass and clapping.

“Very impressive, Miss Tomoe! I see Eastern Swordplay is not to be underestimated!” I commented, soon sitting upright. In contrast, Tomoe seemed downright mortified.

“I-I didn’t hurt you, right, Arthur?! I-If I did, I’m SO sorry…! Really, I didn’t-”

“You needn’t worry, Miss Tomoe- I am perfectly unharmed” I replied, giving her a smile. “You struck my armour, thankfully. You won’t need to worry about anything like that”. I did my best to reassure her that everything was alright, and that there were no issues with what it was that she did. Thankfully, after spending perhaps a little too much time trying to reassure her, we sat down opposite to each other, legs crossed and began to discuss further things in relation to combat.

“As I had said previously, Miss Tomoe- Eastern Swordplay is not to be underestimated! Though from the sounds of things, it seemed to me like you knew of Western Swordplay, as well, being able to identify Vom Dach and its weaknesses just by looking at me get into the stance- I take it you’ve practiced more than just that Mugai-Ryu you mentioned”

Tomoe bit her lip, seeming a tad nervous to respond. “W-Well yeah… you could say I’ve… learnt a lot about both…” She replied, crossing her arms.

“That so? How much have you learnt?” I soon asked inquisitively- Tomoe was clearly an expert in utilising the style she used, and was quite nimble, despite her size… It seemed to me that she had all the physical qualities of a warrior, in body. I yet still had to wonder about mind and spirit, however- they were that Chinese trifecta, were they not…?

“Erm… well.. I uhh… learnt pretty much, uhh… so many, I’ve… kinda lost count, and umm… well, it’s not just swords, either… Spear, Bow… Unhanded, Axe, Club… I’ve learnt a lot of styles, that I... “ Tomoe’s face was soon bright red. “A-Anyway…! Y-You only know those sorts of styles, r-right…? Or do you… also know more?” She asked a little cautiously.

There was no reason to hide my own profession in weaponry- not to Tomoe, who had… sort of done such just now. “I actually have also professed myself in multiple weapons- though perhaps not as many as you. The Sword, Spear and Dagger, is all I require” I soon concluded, nodding my head. “Though to be honest… I cannot say that Eastern Swordplay does not intrigue me, ever so slightly”

Tomoe’s eyes seemed to almost ‘light up’, so to speak… She seemed a little more jolly, at the moment. “W-Well yeah! I-I could teach you some! Hyoho Niten Ichi-Ryu, Chujo-Ryu, Ganryu, Tamiya-Ryu… I-I would love to show you… I-If that’s what you want…” Tomoe seemed to blabber names time and time again- names that, frankly, had no meaning to me, in this moment- the only thing I could manage to ascertain was that they were all ways of the sword, and that ‘Ryu’ is an incredibly overused term in Japanese Swordsmanship.

“I see! Well… I, honestly, wouldn’t be too opposed to that! Well… if we did just so happen to do so… what would you recommend…?” I asked- not quite knowing the demon of knowledge I would unlock.

“W-Weeeeell, since you know both how to use a dagger and how to use a longsword, going with Niten Ichi-Ryu or Ganryu would be a good start! Would also be a good basis since two of the most famous swordsmen in Japanese history used those styles- those being Miyamoto Musashi and Kojiro Sasaki- The best part about Niten Ichi-Ryu is its mix of attack and defense- it also uses a high guard like Vom Dach, so you might find it a bit easier to use! I-In contrast, Ganryu works like the Ochs style- A-Are you familiar with Ochs, Arthur? I-I’m sure you are, but I thought I’d best… check” Tomoe explained. Such an explanation went on much longer than even I could perceive, however, so I most likely only registered a little bit…

“E-Erm… Yes, I am familiar with Ochs… I am familiar with all those sorts of stances” I replied, coughing.

It was then Tomoe likely realised how much she seemed to be talking, given how she, when about to speak again, stopped herself.

  
“A-Ah… ahaha… S-Sorry… I must’ve… droned on a bit- A-Anyhow, I wanted to go find Kintarou after I finished training here… said he’d give me a few pointers of his own!” Tomoe explained, quite eagerly, clearly. 

“In such a case… Yes, I am satisfied with this conversation- another day, I would be quite happy to spar with you once again- and to learn these… sword styles, you mentioned” I replied, courteously bowing before making my exit.

Tomoe… someone who seemed to switch on a coin toss. Shy and reserved… until you say something that piques her interest, I suppose… and furthermore- those attacks… they carried obscene power. Frankly, with the force I felt from that impact… I had to thank the Gods above for my armour- else I am certain my organs would be ruptured, by now…

I tried to shove that thought out of my mind, and made my way out of the woods. I was certain I would, at the very least, run into something quite interesting.


	30. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Day 3: Great Expectations

Tomoe’s POV:

Oooohhhh, god, god, god, god…!

Oh GOD that was stressful! I-I thought I might’ve hurt him, or something…! I really shouldn’t have struck that hard… This is what I get for not being able to control myself in these kinds of situations...

Shaking my head, I tried to relieve myself of everything in my mind- well, everything I could. There was always that nagging feeling… just the feeling of… paranoia? Yeah… I think that’d be the word.

Ohhh, darn it, Tomoe- calm down! You’re overreacting, right? I-I mean… that’s how everyone sees it, so I mean, it’s probably true, right?

A-Anyway… Kintarou! I was gonna go see Kinatarou!

I soon began walking out of the dense area of the woods. From what I remembered… Kintarou was talking with Gawain about something… they really seem to get along well, already…! Unlike me… I think I’m just sorta… there, really. Not really doing much…

Thankfully, I’d stop thinking so negatively once I finally found Kintarou sitting under a tree, legs crossed, giant body leaning against an equally titanic trunk.

“Yo, Tomoe! Good t’ see ‘ya! Not just good- nah, great- super great! Let’s talk, eh?” Kintarou soon responded, giving a thumbs up.

“R-Right!” I responded almost immediately. Frankly… I still hadn’t gotten used to it. To see Kintarou- Kintoki, the Lightning King of the Ring, in the flesh! Aaaahhh, it’s so COOOOL! I’ve always wanted to talk to him like this...! I-I thought I’d be more nervous, but… not really! I just… can’t say everything I wanna say, is all…!

  
“S-So Kintarou… Umm… y-You said you were going to give me a few pointers… I-I assume that’s fighting-wise, right?” I asked, tilting my head in curiosity.

Kintarou gave a simple smirk, before lowering his glasses, showing off the amber eyes underneath. “Not quite- Of course, there’s no one better than me at the whole wrestling gig, and I know that giving ‘ya pointers in that would be pretty fun- though not right now That being said… I DID wanna give you some pointers on some other things, y’see”

Well, Kintarou was right- I barely know anything outside of the moves when it comes to being a wrestler- I don’t have anything that’s really as stylish as most of Kintarou’s moves, either… though still, I was more confused by the fact he didn’t want to give me pointers about fighting… so what was he thinking about telling me?

“S-So what is it then?” I replied, voicing my thoughts to the man in front of me. Soon enough, Kintarou stood up, massive form managing to be the slightest bit taller than me. It really… put into perspective how big I was, honestly…

“Your pal Kintarou’s gonna be helping you to talk a bit more outwardly- y’know, you’re pretty reserved, and I wanna know just what’cha thinkin’ sometimes. Think we’ve been ‘round each other enough to call each other friends, y’know? So I wanna know what my friend thinks, and what they’re interested in, y’know?”

My head started spinning. “I-I could be considered FRIENDS with you?! I-I don’t know about that… I-I mean… you’re on a whole different level to someone like me… right? T-There’s no way I deserve something like that…”

Kintarou simply chuckled, patting me on the shoulder. “C’mon now, it ain’t that big a deal, right? I mean, yeah- I get it, I’m a pretty big figure in wrestling and all that, but, y’know, I like the idea of being friends with ‘ya, all the same- besides, it ain’t everyday you get to befriend a straight-up warrior! I mean, c’mon, slashing swords, smackin’ people around- that’s cool! Real cool” 

I could barely accept even this praise- it was way too much, for me… “I-I mean, YEAH, I love… fighting… and well… I love… learning those sorts of things, but… I mean… c’mon now…! You’re Kintoki, you’re a straight-up idol to children all over the world! TONS of kids wanna be just like you! You’re a great role model, a shining example of someone doing things because it’s the right thing to do! You’re-”

I hadn’t even noticed until Kintarou’s hand began to pat me on the shoulder again, but… he was laughing- laughing! I… didn’t quite understand the humour in what I said... 

“You’re a riot, Tomoe…! Pftahahaha!” Kintarou continued to laugh before sitting down on the floor once again, seemingly just because he couldn’t stand from laughing so hard. “Ooohhh… oohh, you have no idea how much of a bad role model I am, y’know?”

My eyes widened. Bad… role model? Really? I… didn’t really know about that. I mean- I watched his matches basically all the time- I saw him as a shining example of what a person could be! Admittedly I… well, I may be the same age as him, but… well… I was a massive fan, despite uhhh… not being the target audience, if he hadn’t already caught on…

“W-What do you mean by that…?” I soon asked in confusion, setting myself down as well , cautiously.

Kintarou soon shook his head. “Nothing, nothing… I mean, I guess you are kinda right, thinkin’ about it. The man I am now…? Yeah- brilliant role model, or so people say- Though I dunno if I’d be a good role model earlier on in my life, y’know?”

“A-Ah… so you… weren’t always the way you are… I-I see! Well, I suppose that’s only n-natural… people change… people change a lot…” I responded, nodding my head gently. Of course, I knew that all too well… I’ve changed a lot- and the people around me have changed a lot- Kintarou’s no different. I… really shouldn’t put him on a pedestal… should I?

Though, all the same… who he’s become now is totally worthy of praise! I-I mean… well… think about it! He’s all noble, and cool, and all that sort of thing… wait, ‘cool’ is pretty subjective, isn’t it…? W-Well, he’s cool in my books!

“Darn right. As the Wrestler Kintoki, especially, I’ve now got some great expectations to live up to! Gotta be nice and clean-cut, can’t let myself get into any trouble, and I’ve gotta tackle trouble whenever it shows up, like some kinda superhero! ...Which ain’t that bad, honestly! Won’t lie, the attention is preeeeetty gold-standard- just like how I like to keep myself to!”

Great expectations, huh…? Well, yeah, I guess that’s accurate. Though that says something about Kintarou… and about him as Kintoki, as well… though thinking about that isn’t good. I… don’t want to believe what I’m thinking is true. That would be… reality-shattering, for me, honestly…

“I-I see…! Well, then, uhm… I can sorta… empathise with that. A little…” I managed to blurt out, tapping my fingers together. “P-People never had high hopes for me, but… I-I always wanted to prove them wrong, and well… I-I set myself an expectation so high that I… I don’t think I can reach it, y’know?”

Kintarou shook his head. “You’ll reach it, I know that much- I mean, I betcha you’re pretty talented. Though what IS your goal, exactly?” He asked, lowering his glasses once again.

Oh… oh my, this was embarrassing…! What SHOULD I say really?! I-I mean… there’s plenty I could say, and well… It would make sense to say… right?

Yeah… I guess I should- why not? I know Kintarou won’t… mock me for it… right?

“W-Well… if it’s not clear, I, well… I-I admire the woman I’m named after…” I began, prodding my fingers together out of sheer nervousness.

“And that’s Tomoe Gozen, isn’t it?” Kintarou responded before whistling. “Looks like you got some big old boots to fill, eh? Like… giant- no, TITANIC boots, you feel me?”

I nodded. “Y-Yeah… I mean, she was… well, a pro in a time where girls like her couldn’t really pursue anything like that… and she still made it, and she was still successful in the battles she fought- her downfall only came from her Lord- Well… if you ask me, anyway… T-There’s plenty of interpretations where Yoshinaka did it out of concern for Gozen, as well, but…!”

“Don’t gotta go all History buff on me, Tomoe- I got the point” Kintarou soon responded, before sticking his thumbs up. “Still- looks like I’ve found another interest of yours, huh? ...but Tomoe Gozen, huh…? Well, if you wanna become as renowned, and as strong, and all that fun stuff… the only way to go is try, you feel me?” Kintarou replied, smirking. “Though, ‘course, you shouldn’t just secure yourself down to a legend, and all that- those kinds of things are exaggerated, y’know?” He added, stroking his chin. “If anything, I think you’ll surpass Gozen pretty quick- You’ve just gotta tap into that Warrior’s Spirit, y’know?”

“Warrior’s… Spirit?” I responded, slightly confused. “I-I mean, I get it, but… Y’know, I… well, yeah… I suppose that IS my biggest obstacle, isn’t it?”

“And that’s why we’re gonna get ‘ya there- eventually, of course- That’s why I said before that I’m gonna get you to loosen up, and be a bit more open with me about what you’re thinking, y’know? Gotta open that strongbox of a mind you got- bust it open with a good old punch! Though… well, that’ll take a while- ‘ya don’t just change after a talk like that one time, y’know?”

I nodded my head. “Thank you, Kintarou” I responded kindly. Truly… Kintarou is someone I cannot help but admire. A role model that protects, and helps…

He’s certainly one of the better role models I’ve had the joy of experiencing.

“Well then, Tomoe… Let’s talk a bit more, yeah? Think breaking the old ice with you a bit more sounds pretty good, right about now- perhaps over some bare-handed matches? Though I dunno… Depends if you’re gonna tear off them prickly gauntlets and that bracer, of yours… Don’t wanna go getting too hurt, y’know?” he soon joked.

I shook my head quickly- Of course I would wanna do something with Kintarou…! I just… well… After what happened with Arthur, I wouldn’t want to do anything that could hurt someone…

“Gotcha… well, just talkin’ is fine, then- alrighty… hit me with your best question!” Kintarou soon asked with a laugh.

We’d be here for quite a while, I’m sure...


	31. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Hana FTE

Arthur’s POV:

Leaving the denser area of the forest, I found myself before the shrine. It was because of such an event, that led me to consider perhaps spending a small amount of time with Hana. That being said… how much time would actually be spent conversing, and how much time would be spent in quiet prayer?

All the same, I found myself intrigued enough by Hana in order to endure the possibility of such events coming to pass, and entered the shrine.

“My, my...and so it has changed quite a lot…” I murmured. The newer torii gates were especially interesting, to me, though I didn’t know what to think about the overall design. I was mostly unaware of such a style for the most part, I had only ever been inside of chapels, myself. Whilst I was not inherently religious, as part of a way of maintaining my neutrality to all, I was perceived by some to be a Holy King. If memory serves… Hana herself called me such a thing once.

“Holy King… how surprising to see you here- though I grant you the warmest of welcomes” Hana soon introduced herself, standing atop the temple steps once more, alike to which she was beforehand, when we first met here. “Though I suppose I cannot… ‘see’ you, now can I? Yes… perhaps ‘how surprising to sense you here’ would have been more appropriate for my current conditions” She added with a smile, before gesturing for me to come up the stairs.

Nodding, though perhaps only to myself, I made my way up the stairs, and found myself at the true heart of the shrine.

  
“This place, if you would ask me, is the most tranquil place in the entirety of this valley… though I suppose I might be biased, considering that I do not find myself going elsewhere. If you are here, I suppose you have something to discuss, Holy King?” She asked, sitting down on the right-hand side of the shrine, and I moved to sit on the left.

“You see, Miss Amakusa, I was more curious about you, than anything- I do not think it has to be said, but… I do not see you socialising very often with the others- you simply isolate yourself here. I suppose this is because of your previous life?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as I inquired further into what Hana was thinking.

“Indeed, Holy King” She affirmed. “I am glad one such as you understands that. To be perfectly frank, I have not lived like most. I have lived an incredibly solitary life. I had a regular upbringing, as one would expect, but I eventually retreated from the world, to some extent, into a monastery. I partook in solemn prayer every day, and for many hours at a time. I’ve heard such a methodology was used by quite the deranged emperor, once upon a time, but… I personally think that just showed his iron-clad devotion in the Lord- albeit not excusing his atrocities”

“Ahh… you are referring to Ivan the Terrible, aren’t you? Such a contradictory mind, that he had. A mind of a bloodthirsty murderer and tyrant, and also the mind of a benevolent and fervent worshipper of God. From what I recall, he would have himself and those close to him praying in church for hours... yet, you seem to see this as normal, as well?” I responded. I had a keen knowledge of the History of Europe- I had to, if I wanted to avoid making the very self-same mistakes as the monarchs that came before me…

“Hmm… yes- I suppose it is crude to compare myself to a tyrant, and such a sinful and wicked soul, but that is the truth of it” Hana said in affirmation. She didn’t seem particularly happy with her own comparison, but it seemed to be the best thing that came to her mind, or so I assumed.

“I see… I am curious, however- what led you to pursue life in such a way? Was the Lord already guiding you? Or perhaps it was something you always were going to do?” I soon asked, almost like some sort of interviewer.

“Hmm… I suppose the best way to put it is… tradition. You see, my family are all quite devoted Christians. It’s a sort of tradition to spend at least 5 years in a monastery, as odd as it may sound to someone unaffiliated with our means of practicing the faith. It is to strengthen your relationship with the Lord, or so I am told. Of course, once I went… it was discovered that I am blessed. Blessed with the ability to hear the voice of the Lord- and so, I carried out his word, for he is our creator, and thus, his word is law”

“...I see. That is good- if that is what you believe, then you should strive for it- that is something that I believe whole-heartedly” I soon responded. “I believe that you will find that most people will not agree with you, in this world- I suppose you are prepared for such an event? Do you truly not mind if people do not believe in the same religion as you? I cannot think that you would be able to… save them from the Hell that the Bible describes if you did not attempt conversion”

Hana sat still for a moment, as if silently contemplating my answer considerately. She soon smiled once more. “How astute, Holy King. To answer your questions… to say that it is complicated does not even begin to cover the absolute complexity of such a situation. I am, in a sense, stuck between two crossroads. Generally speaking, however, I attempt to have it both ways, as it were… I implore people to become the same religion as me, and I implore them again to offer themselves before the Lord. If they decide not to, I simply accept it, and hope that there is another God that shall accept them for the life they lead” Hana explained in a rather monotone voice.

“Another God?” I soon asked in curiosity. “What might you mean by that? Do you mean to say that there is more than one God?”- such a concept did not truly exist in the Bible- God was the only true God in the Bible… so how would she rationalise such a thing?

“Hmm… in a sense, to an extent, I might silently hope that every religion is correct in some fashion- that is, to say, that if you devote yourself to a certain religion’s way of life, then that such belief shall impact your afterlife. Heaven or Hell, Reincarnation, Valhalla or Hel, Elysian Fields or Tartarus, so on, so forth. Such is the way I hope such a world may operate… though in the end, I believe my path to be correct- for that is why I take it. I can hear my God, after all… so why should I doubt his existence, or his Holy Book?”

Hana was an… interesting case. She was certainly one who enjoyed her theology, and other such things… I had to wonder about this God they could hear, however…

“And this God… what is he like?” I soon asked curiously. What a twist of fate it would be if God was, in fact, very different from what we imagine or try to represent him as… All the same, Hana seemed to have the answers to such questions…

“The Lord speaks in an… interesting fashion. The way I personally see it, is… well, humanity has progressed so much away from the intentions of the Lord that it is difficult to hear him now. Only by cutting yourself away from everything might you hear him… and it is then that he presents himself as a wise, omniscient guru capable of teaching you even the smallest minutiae of the universe- for his is wise and all powerful. He is calm, never aggressive, and serves only to assist you- he shall never condemn unless you have committed a sin- in which case… you must ask forgiveness before asking of his guidance once again”

Her explanation seemed so… detailed, that I had quite the problem thinking that she was simply lying- so she must have been hearing a voice, at least… whether or not it was a God, however, was up to interpretation…

“W-Well… that being said… I suppose this is the time around which you pray, is it not? IN which case, I shall join you for today- if only to give you some form of companionship… not that you would notice such a thing”

Hana seemed quite surprised, but more than accepting of it. With our conversation practically over, she seemed to put on some odd gear once again, covering her mouth, nose and ears. After placing her tucked together arms onto her crossed lap, she seemed to murmur prayers underneath. I could not understand a single one, what with the low, quiet, voice and the mumbling being partially impeded.

I sat in the same manner as her, but without all the odd preparation… and I clasped my hands together, and began to pray- such prayers continuing until the evening.

“O’ Lord… protect us. O’ Lord… Guide us. O’ Lord… Save us. Save our souls, and our bodies, so that we may live long lives, just as those before us have. Let none of us die, O’ Lord… I beg of thee…” I murmured.

It was the best I could do, really... pray for help. Pray so that there would be some method to escape coming soon…


	32. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Day 3: Darts and Dinner

My time at the shrine had ended quite the while ago, once I made my way into the restaurant. To my surprise, things were going a little differently today…

Instead of everyone sitting at their tables with their friends ready to eat, it appeared that everyone had been sitting as if to begin some sort of meeting…

“Ah, you’ve finally made it, Arthur, Hana” Okita greeted with a slight nod. “Come over here, we’ve got something to talk about. And uhh Hana- if you could take a seat down by the tables, that’d be good”

Hana, who had been at my side since the afternoon, moved towards the tables, and sat alongside a few other members of the group, meanwhile I moved towards the standing up Okita.

“What might it be, Miss Shirasagi?” I asked inquisitively. This did remind me of our first night at the restaurant, interestingly enough… perhaps it was for the same purpose?

Soon enough, I would have my answer. “Right, now that everyone’s here… let’s talk about the truth of what’s going on, yeah?”

“The truth of what’s going on? Ahh, yes… you mean to discuss the Killing Game that is meant to be happening” I stated with a sigh.

Frankly, I had almost forgotten the reason I was here… it was odd. Why did I forget that important detail?

Well, nothing to be done about it now, I suppose…

“Correct, Arthur. I’d like to ask, if anyone’s gotten any idea about what we’re dealing with? Anything at all, I’d love to hear it” Okita soon said, widening her arms as if to emphasise the gravity of her words.

...Yet still, nothing came.

“Yeh. Got no idea, m’self” Muramasa responded, shaking his head.

“That’s because you’ve been doing nothing but sitting in that kitchen in your spare time- not to say that it’s BAD that you’re doing that, mind you, however… you do make some quite wonderful delights” Seisei said with a smirk. “Though perhaps if you were wandering around, you might find something- or not, as the case may be, as it seems no one else has found anything either” He added, shaking his head. “My, my, we’re in a pickle now, aren’t we? 3 whole days, and we’re no closer to getting out than the very first day… such a shaaaaame…”

“Your wisecracks aren’t exactly helpful either, y’know?” Inanna hissed. “Just shut up, if you’ve got nothing meaningful to add- or can you not help but keep that tongue from wagging?”

The bickering only continued to grow for a while… slowly but surely, it seemed to be that, whilst we were growing closer, to some… we were growing much further away from others. People didn’t hesitate to bite back at other’s comments, or their attempts to diffuse the conversation, at first…

“May I have your attention” Said a familiarly monotone voice.

Looking through the crowd, I was surprised to see the voice had come from Kariya. He looked… quite a bit healthier, now- not terribly different, but… he at least seemed ever so slightly less skeletal, and perhaps a tad less ‘at death’s door’ now. Yui’s skills as a medical practitioner were certainly being put to the test, working with a man like him… though seeing that, gave me the impression that Yui was doing a wonderful job- it was a shame that I didn’t think to ask about such things- I shall have to ask him, at one point or another.

“Of course, Lord Suzuki- What might it be?” Gawain asked, glancing over to the still rather decrepit charity worker. 

“It’s clear that none of us have managed to find anything- that much is true, and cannot be changed, now that we have reached this point. Let’s be honest… it seems everyone’s sorta forsaken the idea of getting outta here on our own, right? Or at least… there IS no way out, as of right now” Kariya continued. Truth be told, he was right. None of us, at the very least it appeared to be, had looked around more… just… talked with others.

The fact that I did that, especially, did not feel good… I felt I should be more proactive, in that regard. I suppose I had already subconsciously admitted defeat on the front.

“I have personally been unable to, due to miss Samegawa- such an event is unfortunate. That being said… let us try and enjoy ourselves a little more. I think it is safe to say our first-day feast was… successful?” He added once again, looking to Muramasa.

“S’ya want m’ t’cook that much again, eh?” He asked with a raised eyebrow. “Eh. S’pose I can. No prob’m” He soon responded, scratching at his bristly beard. 

“Then I guess I’ll be dishing out the dishes, huh?” Okita contributed, before Muramasa gave her a curt nod.

  
“Y’ hand that out pretty quick, y’know, lass- don’t think I’d want anyone else t’ do it” He soon replied, giving a light smirk.

“Jeeeez, we can’t just do the same thing, y’know? We gotta add something to it!” Ayako soon burst out, before snapping her fingers. “And I’ve got juuuuust the thing!” She responded, before turning to me and giving a wink.

Ohhhh lord… she means the tape, doesn’t she?

“T-Then I might also propose some sort of activity, as well? Perhaps a game?” I soon offered, glancing around. Perhaps if I took some people’s focus away from what would be said in the little recording we had made, I could save myself some embarrassment…

“He’s got a point, y’know” Shigure soon responded. Everyone turned to look at him as if they had seen a ghost. It appears Shigure’s knack for disappearing, even when he didn’t want to, had struck once again.

“C’moooon, you couldn’t have forgotten me NOW, could ‘ya?! Like SERIOUSLY, It’s been 3 DAYS, c’mon- really, c’mon. I EXIST, y’know…! Real human being right here…!” Shigure added, using his hands and gesturing towards himself. “Jeeeez… anyhow, I’m sure there’s some kinda uhh… dartboard or something, at least. C’mon, let’s get some games up in here, at least. Right?”

Kintarou smirked. “Darts, eh? Y’know, I’m down for that- I’m pretty ace at darts, if I do say so myself- And I ain’t talkin’ a card ace, I’m talking like, Ace in the Hole, you feel me?” He said before chuckling, slapping Shigure lightly (though perhaps that should be in air quotes, since I imagining Kintarou doing anything like that lightly was downright impossible for me), pushing him towards the back. “Go on and grab us some darts and dartboard, then. If you find some card packs, I’m sure some o’ ‘ya would be good on Poker or Crazy Eights or something, right?”

It seemed that today would be a tad more ‘party-like’ than the previous days. Like the Meeting on the first day, things had been set up rather well. Muramasa, Okita and Tomoe were in the kitchen cooking. Shigure was notably absent from the cooking crew, instead setting up a few dartboards. He had also managed to, fortunately, find 2 packs of cards, allowing us to set up two card games, as well.

I knew my strengths laid not in my ability to bluff, but in my ability in my throwing arm. Learning to wield a dagger included being able to throw such things… I would hope such techniques would apply to darts.

In the game I was partaking in, I was up against Kintarou, Gawain and Inanna . The other dartboard was lined with Danford, King, Shigure and Seisei. I could see that game going poorly, what with Shigure’s… penchant, for being unnoticed by anyone.

Kariya and Kiragi were playing a game of Poker, with Yui as the dealer. Hana and Ayako decided to simply step back and watch the match together, with Hana occasionally deciding to show Ayako a magic trick. With her long sleeves, she seemed to find it rather easy to obscure cards, and Ayako, being someone who seemed not to understand magic tricks all that well, was practically always amazed by her abilities. It’s funny… I always thought someone of faith, like Hana, would not be one to use such things, what with the relationship between faith and magic. Though I suppose it’s parlour tricks- not real magic or witchcraft, now is it?

“Hmhm… let’s see how you do in a game of darts then, pretty boy~” Inanna hummed, smirking at me with an… unnaturally large smile. Frankly, it irked me. Yet, all the same, I made an attempt to humour it.

“I shall show you that I am much better at such things than I might appear, you know” I reply as Okita placed a plate in the center of the table we were sitting on to wait for our turns. Right now, it was Kintarou’s turn.

“Come now, Kintarou- you cannot spend all your time preparing: as the saying goes ‘Strike while the iron is hot’-!” Gawain soon encouraged, standing as Kintarou continued to try and line up his shot.

“C’moooon, you can’t rush greatness, can ‘ya, man? This is a legend in the making, over here!” He replied in jest, giving him a grin. “But if you insist… I guess greatness can hurry itself along”

Inanna sighed. “Look at this duuuuude… sheesh, I don’t think I’ve seen someone try and set up a shot THIS long- I’m pretty sure Dick 1 and Dick 2 have already had their throws in the other game…”- looking to my right, I witnessed the game between Danford, King, Seisei and Shigure. As Inanna had… more than likely tried to say, Seisei and King had already thrown their darts one time, as seen with the scores they had written on their piece of paper. It appeared Seisei had managed to strike the double ring on the 6, whilst King had managed to score an Inner Bullseye.

It made me sigh. Frankly, I could not imagine King being so… proficient in such things. He seemed the type to obtain these things, but never use them- a horrible waste. That being said… he seemed quite adept with it, though perhaps… not as much as I would assume Shigure, to be.

From my instinct, I could tell Seisei and Danford might as well have not been playing- in reality, the only ones who had any true ability in that game were King and Shigure.

Here… it was perhaps a bit more difficult to tell.

Kintarou was clearly an easy contender for the least skilled. The rest of us seemed to be able to at least ready a shot at a decent pace. He was all muscles, and no accuracy.

Following such a logic, Gawain was likely just behind him. Unlike myself, Gawain had not trained in the Dagger. From what I recall, he devoted himself entirely to the sword and spear. His ability with a spear might have translated well into pool, if that was one of the games we had, but… it appeared to not be the case.

Then, that left myself and Inanna… a Beautician… would a Beautician need to learn accuracy in the same manner as I? Well… she would need to learn to apply cosmetics precisely, right? And if she was the ultimate in her field… I’m sure her accuracy would be scarily high. All the same though… nothing trumps close experience. I believe myself to be the most skilled here… that is not to sound prideful, however… I am sure the skill levels are at least relatively close together, no?

“Aaaaaalright! Here’s my strike! Goooooooooolden Daaaaaaaart!” Kintarou yelled, throwing with all his strength.

And utterly failing.

“Psh, good job, idiot, instead of throwing it at the dartboard, you threw it at the carpet” Inanna commented. “No points- siddown” She soon added curtly.

“Nah, nah, I got this, lady, I got this- that was just aaaaaa.. A practice shot! Yeaaahh… Mean, I gotta try and look like the underdog and all that, right?” Kintarou soon responded, laughing heartily as he massaged his neck with his gigantic hand.

“Come now, Kintarou- sit down, and let me take my go- you may show us your seriousness with your next shot” Gawain said as he patted Kintarou on the shoulder soon readying his own throw.

Gawain’s shot was… about as I had expected, from one of my most senior knights. A tremendous throw that struck true at the board, in a location that netted him quite a few points.

“Pheeeeew… Not bad, Big ‘Wain” Inanna commented, giving a light whistle. “Though was that a lucky break, I wonder…?” She added, before glancing to me. “So handsome, you gonna go next?”

I sighed. “I suppose I shall. Tell me, Inanna- Have you played this game before?” I asked as I took the dart from Gawain, and lined up my shot.

“Yep. You know, I love these sorts of games- y’know, bar games. Just think they’re kinda fun, and I’m pretty good at them, to boot. Though… I bet you already guessed that, with how those eyes sized me up earlier… or were you thinking about something else?”

The implication made me sputter- the nerve, to think that I would think such things. Truth be told, yes, she was beautiful, but she was not someone I could say I was interested in… The sort of person I would be interested in, would be someone I would have known for quite a while- and surely, they would be a lot less… obscene.

“Hmhm… naughty boy… you know, I wouldn’t have objected to it, if… well, you were just upfront about it, y’know…?” She said, fluttering her eyelids. I felt my body become almost… heavy, in embarrassment. When I saw my arm slowly lower, I knew what was going on…

The witch had done this to put me off my game!

Psychological Warfare, hm…? Very well then… I suppose I shall have to use what I know about her, in order to get her to stop whilst I take my shot…

“Well, I cannot say you are… wrong- yes, you are dependable, and quite… beautiful, yes” I replied with a smile befitting that of some sort of ‘Prince Charming’ sort of character, feeling a great weight of embarrassment and shame on my shoulder for uttering such words against her.

“D-D-Dependable…? B-Beautiful…? C-C’mon, Arthur, I-I’m not…!” Inanna replied, flustered by my words and actions. Seeing her practically melt into a pool of babbling goo where she sat was… entertaining, in the weirdest sense.

In fact, it motivated me to lift my arm up, and take my shot.

Bullseye.

I had succeeded, or so it appeared, in repelling her vile attempts to dissuade me, and in turn, struck my intended target. I cannot reciprocate such lustful feelings- to act in such a way so outwardly is inherently sinful- it is something I cannot allow to remain unencountered.

The rest of the match went… roughly as expected. There were moments of brilliance from both Kintarou and from Gawain, hitting some rather close to the center shots- Kintarou would try and affirm his ability in the game when he struck those shots, but such a thing did not seem to work on anyone watching.

As I had expected, Inanna was the closest in ability to me. In fact… I would go as far to say she surpassed me, interestingly enough. Her shots were far more accurate than mine were, and always seemed to strike just where she wanted them to. In the end, it was Inanna, and not me, who brought home the win- though not without some foul play… with some more altering of how she went about trying to influence me into messing up, she eventually managed to get me to miss my targets every now and again.

On the other end, it was King who prevailed, something I was quite surprised by. Shigure’s shots seemed to be all over the place, really. One shot would be perfect, and the next, far less than perfect- sometimes missing even the most simple of shots. Personally, I thought it a result of the alcohol the group was consuming. It was clear to me that King had the highest tolerance there… and Shigure the weakest.

If King was as vindictive as I believed him to be… then he likely planned this from the very beginning- he knew that Shigure would become drunk to the point of his accuracy slipping.

It was not King’s skill that won him his match, but his cunning- in such a way, he was eerily similar to Inanna. Perhaps it was those similarities that made them dislike each other? Either way... Such a man is one to be cautious of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we've reached over 60 Thousand words with this Chapter- woooooooooooooow, I did NOT think I was gonna be chugging along at the pace I have been, to be honest. I fully expect it to slow down, eventually, but right now? I still feel like I can go on nice and strong!
> 
> 60,000 was the expected number for me to end Chapter 1 on, interestingly enough- it seems I vastly underestimated the lengths of each chapter- though that doesn't matter, what with it being a prediction, and all!
> 
> my current expectation... is probably around 80,000 words before the end of Chapter 1. We've still got some FTEs, the Motive, the Events, and of course... the big crunch, that being the... unfortunate loss of some students, but... I'd say it's at this point that we've reached the Midgame of Chapter 1- because after the Conclusion of Day 3... that's gonna be when stuff starts to change a little bit.
> 
> And thus, I shall present you with another, final, Strawpoll for this chapter (Or at least, the final strawpoll based on your favourite character, that is):  
> https://www.strawpoll.me/20509185


	33. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Day 3: Conclusion

Danford’s POV:

The battle displayed could be seen as one of Legend!

Yes… legend among legends, a great battle between two of the incredibly talented- and the victor was not determined by ability, but by planning! Ah, it reminds me of my great classic! For it was not the ability of Alexandros that brought down Achilleus, but his cunning, and his decision to bring himself into the gratitude of the Gods!

Yet it was not long before the greatest of Death Tolls were to sound- the call of the Reaper inviting us to our graves… and the foul gatekeeper of the 9 Hells that tolled the bell…

We needn’t ask for whom the bell tolls… it tolls for us!

The Monochromatic Ursine soon had his voice be heard, as per the regular… though I felt it in the very winds- the very foul winds that accompanied me on the way back to my dwelling…

Something was stirring… like a great pot, this place shall soon bubble with the soup of conflict! The soup of worry, the ambrosia of doubt! This shall be what this location shall become!

Or how one playwright once put it: “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked, this way comes!”

Evil swirls upon this valley of ours… it covers it like a malevolent fog… Algae upon the water- it shall slowly poison us until we collapse and rot! Rot like the living corpses we are!

That was a feeling unable to be shaken- unable to be avoided. It was inevitable. It was inexorable… it would not stop until it was fully satisfied with its run- no matter how far!

By the clatter of my bones, the morning shall be filled with groans! That is my prediction… the story has yet to truly take off, has it not? This simply could not do! There must be more… and I shall witness every part of it!

For I am a narrator- I am a Playwright! I must know how this story ends, and I must chronicle it! Yes, me and me alone!

...Oh how conceited my Greed may be!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit shorter... which is why it's getting released right next to the big monster of a chapter, rather than getting released on its own XD
> 
> You know what time it is next, chapter though...? hehe... well, if you ask me, the students need a little... Motivation.


	34. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Day 4: Introduction and Motive

The day began, as had been the same the days before… with the chiming of a bell, and the speakers emitting the dreadful voice of that bear- Monokuma.

“Gooood morning, everyone! Let’s have another brilliant day in this fabulous Killing Game!”

Those words had been said so often on repeat at this hour that I had become numb to them. They no longer held any meaning other than to remind me that it was morning, and that I was stuck. There was no more fear in such words- especially now that I was certain no one would dare to make the first move in this dangerous game.

“Oh- and one other thing...”

My eyes widened.

The announcement, for the first time in a few days, had changed. I didn’t predict the announcement itself to change- more rather, if Monokuma was going to call attention to something… he’d do it some other way. It made my mind, dull to the previous announcements, perk up and listen.

“Please gather where you awoke once you arrived- you know, the place at the top of the hill with the waterfall. Once you get there… I’ve got a wonderful surprise for you!” The bear said with a giggle.

Whilst I was not interested in any sort of surprise- I was most definitely interested in the ramifications that such a surprise might bring… Monokuma did not seem the charitable sort- he was more than definitely the sort that would make it some sort of Monkey’s Paw.

Looking at the state of myself, I sighed, and began to armour myself back up, and put the mantle back over my back. Leaving the house, I found myself greeted by Gawain.

“Good morning, my king! I trust you slept well?” Gawain asked with a hearty chuckle. Gawain was even quite bright and energetic in the morning, as I expected of him- he was always quite like this- and it seemed that the situation had not impacted him in the same way that it had me, even after the time we had spent here. I was glad that it was so- it proved his character to me, and the fortitude of which even I was somewhat lacking- I hope to be closer to him in such a trait, eventually.

“I did- thank you, Gawain- I trust you also heard the announcement from Monokuma?” I asked, crossing my arms as I stewed on whatever such a surprise could be.

Gawain nodded gravely. “Of course, my king. I assume, at this moment in time, that the bear may be… ever so impatient- if what he has done today, and what he has done previously, is any indication”

I nodded my head. “Indeed. Well, there is no need to discuss such matters right now, when we shall have to find out, like it or not. Let us proceed” I say curtly before beginning to march onward to where this game first began.

Approaching the point to which we had awakened 4 days ago, counting today, we found almost everyone was here, already- and in a short span of time… we soon found ourselves greeted with everyone, once again.

“Upupupu! You’ve finally arrived! Wonderful, then let’s get started!” The voice from behind the curtains once rang out, before they revealed the bear himself once again…

Gazing upon him, I could only think ‘when was the last time I bared witness to this bear?’- and my answer was simple- it was when we were told about the Killing Game that was intended to begin… it is quite likely he is… disappointed, with the current results.

“Ey YO! It’s ya beaaaar, Monokuma! And I’ll be… showin’ you, how the kids do, how you’ve all seriously FUCKED UP!” He said, speaking like he was trying to be some sort of… what was the term... ‘Street Rapper?’- yes, that was the term. I recall Dinadan being particularly humoured by such things. Ridiculous, he called it- which, to him, meant it was right up his alley.

“Speak plainly, mongrel” King interjected, huffing. “Let us dispense with the frivolities- you fourth-rate theatre is most unamusing”.

Monokuma crossed his arms, and his eyes almost appeared to narrow. As much as I knew they were not moving, that was the impression I received in this moment. “Alright, Mr. ‘No fun allowed’, I’ll tell it to you straight! So far… there’s been no murders! You’ve all been hangin’ around, getting friendly with each other! THAT makes me sick! C’mooon, do some normal stuff! Where’s the gooore? where’s the bloodshed?! The betrayal?! Backstabbery, anyone? Doesn’t seem like none of ‘ya have heard of it!”

Monokuma was clearly not interested in the actions of the previous days… Not surprising, considering he likely intended for much worse to occur already… perhaps he intended for tragedy to strike on even the first day?

“Then what is it that you intend to do about that?” Yui asked with an iron-strong glare, putting her hands on her hips.

The bear almost seemed to smile in response as it whipped out a remote. “Weeeell, I’m glad you asked, oh dear surgeon! I’ve decided to give you all a dose of the good old motivation!”

Motivation… So he shall provide us with a further reason to kill, shall he? This is deeply troubling… I was certain that there were those who hung by a thread- those who were so close to falling to the abyss of Murder.

“...And what will you motivate us with? Money? I don’t think that will work, for most of us, I’m afraid” Seisei added, narrowing his eyes. “Though I guess there has to be some poor saps out here- or maaaaybe, perhaps, someone with the mind to see what good such money could do for other people”

Kariya turned his head almost robotically towards Seisei. “I know what you’re implying. Please do not stir the pot by assuming such a thing would influence me to that extent” He replied, eyes lazily trained on the philosopher.

“Oooo… Mission received, Tall, Pale and Scary” Seisei responded with a whistle and a taunt, crossing his arms.

Monokuma soon hopped onto a wooden box, displaying the remote for all to see. “This here remote will be showing you your motive- see… I’ve got a little thing up my sleeve… and you’ll see what it is… now!”

With a press of the button, the world around me faded… As it seemed to, for everyone else, given some of the more… vocal, reactions- How did he manage to do that? Some form of gas? Perhaps it was something else…?

I was once again immersed in a murky abyss- just like how I was in the beginning. The oily black surroundings thicker than anything I had ever encountered. Then I saw the brightness ahead of me- the brightness, that would be my reason to kill.

I couldn’t predict what I was to see… before I had already seen it.

The first thing I heard was the clattering of footsteps.

The first thing I saw was a white corridor- from what I could tell, a hospital corridor.

My body moved on its own, my eyes began to water- it was as if I was living the moment I was within- without having any control over my body. I was simply looking through the eyes of whoever I was viewing the perspective of in this moment… And their thoughts flooded my mind like a stream…

  
  


???’s Perspective:

Oh… Oh god, please, no… not yet! Not now…!

It all happened so out of the blue… one minute, I’m in the classroom… the next, I get called out by a teacher, told… THAT, and I immediately began to run, neglecting what everyone around me said. I didn’t care- that news… it just… triggered something in me- something that told me to run- something that told me, to go and see them. Run to see them. Run to see if they were alright.

She always had a weak heart, didn’t she…?

  
No, it wasn’t just her heart...

She couldn’t even work for that long, because her body was so weak- It was some sort of post-labour condition. she was forced into being a shut-in... She did… SOMETHING, I don’t even know what… and now… Now… She collapsed. Collapsed with some sort of heart failure, I’m certain.

I had to help- I HAD to- there was no way I wasn’t going to- At the very least, I was going to be there every step of the way for her…!

How long had I been running…?

The school was a long distance from the closest hospital. There’s that big bundle of hospitals and Pharmacists right next my school, so… I probably surpassed my own limits when it came to running.

That’s why I could only shamble, now that I was forced to slow down by the hospital staff.

Where is she, where is she..? Her name should be here somewhere, right?

Where, where, where, where…?

**_Where, where, where, where…?!_ **

There it is… there it is…! Yumeko... Samegawa.

I bashed open the door without a care- I didn’t care, I wanted to see her- I wanted to see my mother…!

I want to, I want to, I want to, I want to, IwanttoIwanttoIwanttoIwanttoIWANTTOIWANTTO…!

  
“MOTHER…!” I yelled, voice shrill and hoarse as I looked down in fear at the hospital bed that lay before me.

I didn’t even register it at the time, but… there were people surrounding that bed.

2 Doctors… my father… even Miss Hado, my mother’s best friend…

My father almost immediately held me in his arms, my head pressing into his chest. He patted my head, he slowly tried to comfort me…

Though, even though I was only young… only when I was still only starting to be a dumb teenager… I knew he, himself, was full of sorrow- I could feel the grief leaking from his body, in not only spirit, but in tears, and a shaky voice.

It was the sorrow of a life-long infatuation, festered from early childhood, being utterly extinguished by the death of the other half.

“Yui… Yui, my dear Yui…” He mumbled, patting me on the back. “It’s alright… It’s all alright… okay?”

Perhaps this would have been a time where I’d show my rebellious teenage spirit, and call him a liar and address things how they are…

I did not even have to look at the bed itself to know… that my mother had already passed. I didn’t even get to say goodbye.

I was far, far, too late.

  
  
  


Arthur’s Perspective:

This… was a snippet of Miss Samegawa’s memory… That, I was certain.

A painful memory for her… and truly, I empathised…

But how was this to get me to kill?

She had my sympathies, surely, but… killing would not change a thing about what it is I just saw...

Soon, I shall have my answers, I do suppose, at least.

My vision soon faded not too long after… but it soon returned, back where I was meant to be- back in control of my own body- back in the valley that had held us captive for days, at this point.

“What… Hell… Did I just see?!” Hana raised her voice in abject anger. “...He attempts to beguile us, friends… stay fast. What you saw… it couldn’t have been real!” She continued to proclaim, holding her cross in her hands.

“Upupupu… I’m afraid it was VERY real, my dear!” Monokuma replied, before sitting down on the box. “What you just saw was the very lowest point of one of your fellow Ultimates- the very worst part of their entire life- shown, right in front of your eyes, for you to see!”

I shuddered. So it WAS a memory… and so, that meant…

Good lord…

My stomach felt twisted as Monokuma continued his explanation.

“All of you randomly received the worst memory of another member of the group- you now have special knowledge of that person… knowledge that shall continue to expose itself, in dreams, until the murder occurs… And as I’m sure some of you would imagine… not everyone’s lowest points are created equally”

Such an explanation only made me think of two questions.

What was my worst memory, and who had it?

“After a point… let’s say, 4 days, they’ll be broadcasted over the entire world! ...Using that exact technology that allowed you to see them, in the first place. Yep- everyone will know exactly how it went, with absolutely no lies!” Monokuma further explained...

“Tch… How very crude” King soon said, expression sour. “Though not without merit… your methods are base, but perhaps, they may yet be effective, if you are all as weak as I believe you to be… so let this be your opportunity, mongrels! Prove to me you are of slightly more worth than a flea-ridden, diseased, swine!”

Monokuma soon cackled. “Suuuure, suure, Goldman- whateeeeever you say. Now then, if that all… I think I’m gonna sit back and watch the show all over again! Happy hunting, my darling little Ultimates!”

And just like that, Monokuma disappeared once again… leaving the 16 of us alone.

This time, with motivation, in tow.


	35. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Day 4: Withering Hope

“Fuahahaha! It seems I was indeed correct- such a tragedy WOULD begin to blossom today…!” Danford laughed, glancing around at the rest of us. “He, our captor, hast bestowed upon us a great and terrible evil… a modus operandi- a reason to sully our hands in the ichor of our compatriots!”

Kintarou shook his head. “Really not cool, man- not cool at all- feels hot- lava hot!” He responded, gritting his pearly white teeth. “This ain’t no good thing, I tell ‘ya…”

I listened to the two of them converse once again, and I was immediately thrust back to when we first arrived… such a similar scenario played out again, right before my eyes…

We were beginning to run around in circles. That much, was absolutely clear, to me.

Mayhaps I need to repeat history, somewhat, and deliver once more rousing speech? Perhaps… though I doubt it would work. Not now… to keep everyone’s spirits up… how to begin with that…?

To think, we’ve gone from the highest high, to the lowest low. The previous evening, to this current morning.

“Weeeehhhh… it’s too early to think about what just happened… I want food. And a nap” Ayako commented, hunched forward and walking in the direction of the restaurant.

“You know… food sounds good right about now” Shigure soon added, walking himself. “C’mon- let’s just… try and get our minds off of whatever the hell it was we just saw, got it?”

Admittedly… they had a point. I don’t think I want to particularly dwell on what I saw, either. What I saw would be, well… something difficult to bring up with Miss Samegawa, I’m sure… though it did explain her actions in my mind quite a bit more.

Settling down for breakfast, my first instinct was to decide to sit with Gawain once again. I had been a bit more lax about my protection, as of late… I couldn’t allow that now- not so soon after… everything that had only just transpired.

I was a King- I could not permit myself to fall, and for my country to fall into ruin alongside it. Thus, it was imperative that I win- and win my own way, at that. To win, I must survive… and so, in this particularly critical moment, I could not afford to be without some measure of protection.

The room was practically silent, save for a few murmurs between people. Nobody seemed… up to talking, as of right now. It was clear the motive had done its job.

“My king- quite a conundrum we have found ourselves in once again, wouldn’t you say?” He asked, seeming a tad… almost disappointed? Such an expression made me want to ask…

What was it that Gawain saw…?

I didn’t dare ask him directly, though- such would not be particularly kingly of me, would it? Such a motive… it likely comes in more forms than simply loss, or something akin to that… the ‘lowest point’ did not specifically imply sadness… it could also imply something more… crude, or perhaps… horrifying.

“Indeed it is, Gawain. I hope your very own vision was not… negative, in the slightest” I ask, though I already knew the answer.

“Hmhm- well, it is the lowest point of the person I inherited the memory from- I would be more concerned if it was something positive” Gawain replied.

“Yes, I suppose so… Something positive would be something I expect of King, to be frank- what with how he is. Such a man with an ego like that… I believe would not have experienced the same levels of pain as the majority of us” I replied, shaking my head.

Gawain sighed. “Perhaps you may be right, my king… it would be deeply concerning if King did, in fact, have a rather positive ‘lowest point’... let us depart from this subject, my king- I know it gnaws at you so… but it is best to remain silent about such things- or so I, personally, believe”

I nodded my head. It was this moment that Gawain was right- I couldn’t agree with him more… yet all the same- my concern for Miss Samegawa certainly… increased. Perhaps it would be best to talk with her about it, eventually… just not now.

Gawain and I sat at the table for quite a while- chatting about various things in order to take our minds off of what was going on… thankfully, it managed to at least vaguely work… Though my compulsion to at least chatter with Miss Samegawa remained. However...

It was not too long before I heard someone slam down on a table, jolting themselves onto their feet.

“This is such BULLSHIT!”

Turning my head, I looked up to see Inanna had been the one to yell. For now, I decided to simply wait and see what she would do next.

“Good GOD, what happened to yesterday, when we were all happy and able to just… talk without a care?! C’mon now…!”

Seisei soon stood up, eyes poking out from under his shades. “Well, if you didn’t notice, everyone just saw someone’s ‘lowest’ moment. Though I’d like to propose a question to everyone… You all saw something- something that was probably pretty bad- maybe sad, or something like that” He explained as he wandered to the bar and poured himself a drink. Alcohol at this time in the morning…? I suppose drowning your problems is certainly a way of going about things...

Seisei held the glass a little under eye level. “The emotion experienced looking at the stimulus that is that memory… do you truly believe that it would apply the same for everyone?” He asked, swilling his drink around in its container, the drink coming dangerously close to breaking the surface tension of the glass.

“The simple answer is no. A stimulus tends to give a different reaction based on the recipient. Though that’s not what you mean, is it? I believe you mean… the nature of the stimulus itself is inherently different?” Yui responded, and posed a question of her own.

Seisei smirked, showing his silvery teeth. “Correct, dear Surgeon” He chuckled, taking a decently large sip of the alcohol he had poured, before taking another bottle into his other hand. “The nature of the memories are entirely different- of that, I’m certain. I have no evidence, of course, unless 2 people would like to come forward… in fact, yes, how about we do so? Personally, I am the recipient of-”

“Silence, Lord Ichijiku. Revealing the content of this motive may damn us” Gawain soon responded, shaking his head. “To reveal it in front of everyone and not just to the affected party would be tactless, furthermore- and cause unnecessary tension in the group”

“...However, in contrast- perhaps obscuring it may even be more dangerous, wouldn’t you say?” The voice of King soon slithered, its owner standing up, eyes slowly gliding around the room, almost sizing us up.

I did not like where this was going.

“Look at it like this, and know your folly: To keep them unknown will put many people into disarray. ‘What do others know about me?’, perhaps, may be common- and it is that question that will cause stress, if nothing is said. It may, simply, cause someone to strike” King continued, looking down on all of us sitting.

“In other words… damned if you do, damned if you don’t” Inanna added, huffing. “Jeeez… really not good…”

“I don’t even think ‘really not good’ quite describes the situation” Yui soon commented, sitting back down.

There was still a vital element here I was neglecting… Something I couldn’t quite put my finger on…

“We only have, what, 4 days before they’re all leaked anyway, if someone doesn’t kill- someone will want to strike eventually, I am sure… the question comes to be ‘who will be the biggest danger?’ when it comes to such things… and, of course, that further makes me ask… ‘Whose memory did each person receive, and how bad was it’- you see?” Seisei soon decided to continue, soon pouring a little of the contents of this other bottle into his glass, the deep red colour of the bottle’s contents mixing with the clear drink inside the glass.

“The nature of these memories need not be just… memories of sadness- for all we know, there are memories of rage- memories of… regrettable actions. Memories of doubt, memories of a further negative nature. Truly… what will bring each and every one of us to our ‘lowest points’? That is the question I intend to answer. I WAS about to say which one I received, but if I cannot say… I shall at the very least hint that I got a memory from one of the girls. Based on your actions, I am confident King, Gawain, Yui and Inanna do not have mine. That is about the most I can reason at the moment- and all I really care to… Though frankly… if I may be so bold…”

Seisei smirked, taking off his glasses and holding them in his hand. “I am an absolute glutton for answers- that’s part of what makes a philosopher a philosopher, if you ask me. That continued nagging for answers to abstract questions… though I suppose my love of answers transcends even my talent, now, doesn’t it?”

Seisei Ichijiku… a ravenous seeker of answers. From his viewpoint, to his disposition… I did not imagine such a thing from him, truly… perhaps it was simply part of his ‘interests’- a simple intrigue, much like his interest in meddling with people.

It was such a final conclusion that caused us to break up and do our own thing once again- this time, with Gawain staying by my side. Unlike before, when I could be lax, I held on to the hilt of my sword… ever cautious that someone might make an attempt on my life.


	36. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Day 4: The Truthseeker

Seisei’s POV:

Idiots… intriguing idiots, at the least. Humorous idiots, in some of their cases, in fact. Their reactions are quite wonderful to behold, truth be told- meddling with people doesn’t get any more amusing, in fact.

Still… the more I consider the ramifications of this motive, and furthermore, the possibilities it presents… I cannot help but get excited, and dig for answers. It reminded me of my first delves into Philosophy, that sensation.

The feeling you get when you theorise… it is a sensation unlike any other- and finding answers gives a euphoria like nothing else.

Hah… I’m speaking like more of a scientist, than a philosopher. Odd. Perhaps I may have fared better going that path… though thinking about such questions as short-sighted as the physical does not hold my interest for too long, unfortunately.

No… my interest lies in the theoretical- and furthermore… the abstract, and the ‘out-there’ sort of thinking. Abstract concepts such as ‘love’ or ‘anger’ or ‘meaning’- those ideas make me… ever so curious. Like some sort of black hole, I consume all that enters my vicinity, ever hoping for answers that can be applied to all.

In a sense, you may consider me some sort of Truthseeker- someone who looks for the absolute truth in such things.

Though calling me that, in of itself, is contradictory.

An abstract question tends to come with a high level of ambiguity. In a sense… there is not a correct answer- there is an unlimited number of correct answers, based on the beholder’s interpretation. I know this- and yet, I continue…? Is that perhaps meant to be my folly?

It is such a comprehension that one may say… ‘Life is what you perceive it to be’.

And it is such a reasoning, to me, that life is inherently meaningless.

There is no meaning in life, for I cannot see any meaning- the reasoning for our creation… there is no grand goal for us to achieve that makes any sort of logical sense- so why were we created for anything less than entertainment? Though… with some exceptions, people can be dreadfully dull- why have so many dull people if we were created for the sake of entertainment?

That Arthur is a wondrous example of that. Such a rigid person… not even fun to make light of, from the looks of it… though I suppose he may play a vaguely different role… he may bring the tragedy, or perhaps… some other sort of dramatical element? That is, if the world is in fact some sort of performance in of itself…

Hmhm… I should ask Danford about such things. Yet all the same...

That ‘Prince Charming’ way of doing things pisses me off. He acts like he’s not done a single wrong thing in his life, directly or indirectly. Like he hasn’t ruined the lives of some of his people beneath him… His guard dog of a knight annoys me, perhaps, further, what with his safeguarding of such a fool- coddling him like some sort of child.

I think King describes people like him best: Mongrels.

I will say… Now that I’ve seen what I’ve seen… a new person of interest has appeared before me. One that, dare I say, could be perhaps a key as to why so many dull people exist, if we exist for the sake of entertainment… that dichotomy created through their outward appearance and the things they have endured…

“Kehehe…”

A soft cackle escapes my lips.

Yes… she is most definitely an interesting one. To think someone like her would be a bit of an outcast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter, unfortunately- though you'll be getting some quite long chapters going forward, I can assure you... looking forward, I have no doubts that almost everything beyond this point will be a good bit longer- with some exceptions made for some of these 'inner thoughts' chapters.
> 
> By current estimate, Chapter 56-60 should be when the literal Chapter 1 ends. For reference, the prologue is Chapter 9. Chapter 1 will be 59 chapter, in of itself, if I ever so slightly deviate from my current skeleton (Which I know I will do, since it doesn't include moments like this).


	37. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Day 4: Hospital

“Gawain- I have a personal want to converse with Mr.Suzuki- Shall we go find him?” I asked, glancing to the titanic man that was my knight.

Gawain soon nodded his head, letting out a hearty chuckle. “If that’s what you wish, my king, then I am more than happy to do so- though, pray tell, why have you become so interested in Lord Suzuki today? ...perhaps, this is relevant to the motive?” He soon asked me, looking down with a slight grim face.

I pondered for a moment. Should I… tell Gawain what I saw? Should I tell him about Yui, and her deceased mother?

“...It is vaguely connected- something I saw made me… more cautious, of Mr.Suzuki’s condition, truth be told” I soon replied. Whilst the cases were most definitely not one and the same, due to Miss Samegawa’s thoughts at the time telling me it was some sort of post-labour issue… they were quite similar in the nature of what it did to the body- and how that ultimately destroyed them.

What little I saw of that body… it was withered beyond belief. A sight that, I think, even Miss Samegawa, at the time, blocked from her memory… or perhaps, it was just that she was so used to them looking such a way that they found it normal?

“I see… Very well then, my king- though I urge you not to dig too deep into the matter. We may tread ground that should not be walked upon” Gawain replied, sighing. “Well then, let us proceed!”

Gawain and I both made our way to the hospital. Doubtless, Miss Samegawa would be confining him to such a place, when she was not attempting to treat him. Entering the door, we were greeted by the surgeon herself, in fact.

“Ah, Mr.Galatine, Mr.Pendragon- Are you perhaps here to see me about some sort of injury? I’m afraid, if it’s something mental, I’m not particularly well versed, but… ahem- It would be good to know”

Simply looking at Miss Samegawa made me… nervous- I felt as if I had looked into one of her most private thoughts- and a thought that I should not have been privy to- especially since we barely know each other. 

“Not quite, Miss Samegawa… I was thinking to see Mr.Suzuki- if you are not busy trying to help him… talking with him would be appreciated” I soon replied, bowing my head.

Yui raised an eyebrow, putting one hand on her hip. “It’s not an issue, I wouldn’t think… In fact, it might even be preferred… I’m currently looking into the equipment and what I can do with it… The first step is to make his body healthier- and with extreme deficiencies like his… well, that may prove quite the issue. Having someone to keep an eye on Mr.Suzuki to make sure he doesn’t do anything particularly bad would be nice”

Gawain nodded his head. “Very well then! ...Ahem, pray tell, however… what exactly have you been doing… so far?”

Frankly, I was curious as well… Yui had to have some manner of progress, from what I was able to tell from how he looked before… so what exactly has she been doing?

“Well, to begin with, there’s dieting… You see, Mr.Suzuki suffers from a rather unique form of anorexia, as well as multiple deficiencies. I’m not a perfect nutritionist, my specialty is surgery, as you’d expect, but I know enough to try and get him into that healthy state. Artificial implementation through surgery is most definitely possible… though may cause defects if we can’t get over a certain threshold beforehand” Yui explained. I had the ever-vaguest idea about what she was talking about- Sir Bedivere was always quite concerned about the health of the rest of us. I couldn’t give an exact term, but I understood the general concept.

“Hmm.. I see- So there’s not much you’ve been able to do, then? I have to wonder why you’ve confined the man to the hospital, then…” I replied. Of course… I had a feeling I knew, but all the same…

“For his own safety, of course- I have no doubt his immune system is quite weak. I could see quite a lot of simple to catch and common diseases putting him down, unfortunately…” She explained, glancing away a little.

Gawain nodded. “I see- and I suppose that is why you’ve not let him leave the hospital all that much then, hm? ...I suppose it has its merit, as much as I may… dislike the idea of keeping Lord Suzuki like this”

Yui nodded. “Believe me… I would prefer if he were healthy. Thus, that is my goal. Keeping him here is… well, it’s from experience” She affirmed, brow twitching ever so slightly. She had to have been referring to her mother…

“I see. Well then, Miss Samegawa, I’ll be going and seeing Mr.Suzuki now. Farewell-!” I said with a nod, and began to move towards the recovery bay…

“Farewell, my king- please, be careful-”

“You needn’t ask me to be careful, friend! Ahaha… I am certain there shall be no issues that I cannot handle myself!” I soon retorted to Gawain.

“Hmhm.. true enough, my king! My, my… What did I think would happen…?” Gawain soon replied with a chuckle. “We’re in a hospital, not an open field! Perhaps you were quite right in saying that I acted like some sort of overbearing father to you sometimes way back when!”

Perhaps it was simply my imagination, but it felt like I saw Yui’s normally rather stern face be lighted by a smile. A tiny smile, that is, but a smile nonetheless. It wasn’t long, however, before I turned my back and left.

Yui’s POV:

The two of them have such a strong friendship- one that cannot truly be put across with words, moreso with their actions. Frankly, the fact such bonds can exist is enough to make me smile.

Though why would they want to see Mr.Suzuki…? Perhaps… Did Arthur get his memory, and wanted to talk about it? In which case… I have to wonder what it was that he saw. It must be rather crucial.

...I really must stop considering these things. Work is more important. Working to cure Mr.Suzuki is more important. Whatever that… memory I got even meant is… 

“Something on your mind, Lady Samegawa?” Gawain soon asked, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. “If there is an issue, please, let me know”

“Ahem… Not any problems, as far as I am concerned, Mr.Galatine. I was… simply curious, as to why Arthur would want to see Mr.Suzuki. Frankly, He’s barely talked to him- I cannot help but think that it is due to the motive, more than anything” I soon admitted.

Soon enough, as Gawain began to speak once again, I walked a short distance away to grab a drink. It was at this moment that I was thankful that this hospital had a mini cafe at the front of it. It was inefficient… but it did provide me with a method to refill my cup without having to head to the restaurant… Just meant I could get back to work faster.

“Ahaha! I see, I see… frankly, my king wished to talk with Lord Suzuki for two reasons- one, was he wanted to compare something to what he saw… and secondly, well… My king wishes to become better acquainted with those he has perhaps scrubbed to the side after the first day unintentionally”

Compare something to what he saw…? Then it was most definitely related to the motive… What if…?

No. I must continue to try and ignore the motive. It will simply get in the way.

  
“Hmm… I see” I soon replied, nodding my head. “Forgive me, but I’ll be going to work. I suppose this will be it, for now” I added, beginning to walk through the archway.

“Come now, Lady Samegawa- allow me to at the very least accompany you. I usually try to spend every moment I can to be of service to someone- so please, allow me to assist you in your endeavours- even if it means doing a menial task”

I was a little perplexed by his offer. Why would he want to do so…? Was this part of some kind of… trap? No… I doubt they’d go to any kind of trickery. They’re not the types.

“Very well. You’ll just be handing me things, though, I’m afraid. Frankly, I would have thought you’d be spending more of your time with Mr.Tokisaka or Miss... Tomoe” I responded. I still was not used to calling someone by their first name... 

“Perhaps, but all the same, I must agree with my king, and remain by him, especially now, given the circumstances” He responded with a smile.

“...Alright then. Let’s get to work” I replied. There wasn’t much of a need to be superfluous with my words, or anything. Just to get to the point so that we actually begin to get the ball rolling, as it were.


	38. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Kariya FTE

Arthur’s POV:

Opening the door to Kariya’s room (Denoted by an ever-helpful nameplate above it), I was greeted to a white interior. Thankfully, there was some degree of colour present with the bed frame and the desk, or else I would have thought it a void.

“Greetings, Mr.Suzuki” I greeted, giving him a small nod as I sat down on the chair. “How are you feeling?”

Kariya shrugged. “The same as I always am, really. I was about to head to sleep, in fact” He replied, gesturing to the fact he was underneath the covers of his bed.

“Ahem… my apologies, then- I should not have interrupted you” I replied, making a slight motion to indicate if I should leave. Kariya shook his head, and so, I resumed my regular position.

“I’d prefer if you stuck around, honestly. I wouldn’t have thought I’d encounter a king sitting on a random chair whilst I laid in a hospital bed. Though I suppose that means very little to me” He replied, gesturing to the desk as if to hand him something. Looking to it, I noticed a pack of biscuits, and handed them over to him. He nodded in thanks, and took a bite out of one. “Whether or not you’re a king isn’t something that matters a lot, to me. What I care about is whether you’re a good person”

I raised an eyebrow in questioning. “In what means would you define a ‘good person’- one that is virtuous? In which case, I suppose I might be considered one. One that has not harmed anyone in his life…? Perhaps not so much”

Kariya’s eyes seemed to almost glitter in realisation. A surprise to be sure, given their otherwise dull appearance. “The fact you acknowledge that you’ve done bad things at least shows there’s a good quality to your character. There’s many people in the world who will have claimed to have done absolutely nothing wrong. Whilst I won’t pry… I’ll at least believe you are a good person- that is what I had already concluded, however, given your attempts to unite people”

I shook my head. “I consider that simply doing my part as a king. To do less would be unbecoming of me”

“Is that so? ...Good, good. Anyway, I don’t think you’re here for some kind of evaluation- what are you here for?” He soon asked me curiously.

“I wanted to ask you… well, about your condition, really. Miss Samegawa says it’s some odd form of Anorexia- how did you come to such a point, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Kariya smiled. “I suppose that’s a good way to put it. I am incredibly anorexic. That said, I wouldn’t call it ‘anorexia’ rather something that is similar to it. Similar in terms of the effects on my weight, but different in the fact that it seemed to make me a lot weaker in most areas. Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone of regular strength could beat me to death”

I sighed. In such a case, Kariya was frighteningly weak. That didn’t bode well for his survivability. He may end up simply dying of natural causes, at such a rate. I was thankful in this moment that Miss Samegawa was at least trying her hardest.

“I see… you’re quite lucky to still be living… as I asked before, how did you come to this point?” I asked, still curious.

“How did I… hmm, well… I suppose it begins with my treatment from when I was younger” Kariya began to recount. “Not out of abuse, or anything, of course, but… I was not exactly able to eat regularly, to put it lightly. If anything, it was a miracle when I got a single meal in a day”

I felt myself slowly empathise with Kariya. There had not been a day in my life I had gone without being well-fed… I could not imagine such a thing, to be honest. Hunger felt like such a foreign concept to me… perhaps that was what was meant when…

No. I cannot think of that memory right now. To do so would be a disservice to Kariya.

“My life, at least early on, wasn’t particularly happy- Generally speaking, I lived in various households, and I… well, carried tragedy with me, I suppose. They all continued to die, or otherwise, commit actions that made them unfit for me to remain in their care. I was tossed around the adoption system… yet I never disliked any moment of it”

“You never… disliked it?” I asked- How could someone not dislike a moment of absolute emotional turbulence like that?

“The charity that people showed me by wanting to take me in- that, I loved. I couldn’t feel happier in the knowledge that people would go out of their way to assist me. It is what fueled my ambitions later on, to be honest”

“I see. I did not know what sort of circumstances you faced. I can only apologise for how things went for you. I am sure you would be in a better position had you not been in them” I soon replied. Would there really be a proper way to reply to things like this besides that? Truly, what a horrible situation…

“Perhaps- though I cannot say I’m against it. It made me want to help others- no matter the cost to myself. I… can probably cause a few headaches, admittedly… but that’s more of me doing what I think is better for the others”

“So you sacrifice everything, expecting nothing in return… You’re quite the saint, if I might be so bold” I responded with a smile. “Admittedly, I cannot be like that. As a king, there must be some measure of benefit in the majority of circumstances- I cannot simply expend resources on something that does not warrant a return. In a sense… there is a point where the world of business and the world of governance overlap- though I would say that many countries cross the requirement of such an overlap in this day and age”

Kariya seemed to find my words in agreement with his own opinions, with his affirming nod. “I’d have to agree with you- Frankly, if you didn’t do things in the interest of your people, I would hesitate to call you a good king” He soon responded. “I’ve technically been living on the streets or squatting in derelict buildings for… 12 years? The fact of the matter is only 6 years were spent with families... My surname is not even my real surname- I’ve technically gone through at least 7”

“Your birth name, and the name of… you changed families once a year?! That is… frankly outrageous!” I soon proclaimed.

“Through a combination of mishandling and such. I’ve had to endure quite a lot. I know I’m a broken human being- and that, frankly, I’m beyond help… I am certain this condition will kill me”

My eyes widened. “Yet… Miss Samegawa thinks it can be cured…”

“She thinks it can- it can’t. She might be a miracle surgeon who ‘makes the impossible possible’ but… I think even she knows that, really, no meaningful progress has actually been made. Remember, she’s a surgeon, not a nutritionist. She may carry the title of ‘Modern Day Nightingale’ and ‘Ultimate Surgeon’- but she’s not going to cure the incurable, as much as she tries to. Frankly, it annoys me...”

“It… annoys you?” I asked, slightly confused.

“Of course. She’s always around me, always trying to cure me- always trying to cure the incurable. Whilst I can certainly agree with the message of trying to make the impossible possible… it’s not realistic. I’d prefer to simply enjoy what’s left of my life doing what I please, really”

I sigh, looking down at the floor, back hunched. “...I see, Mr.Suzuki- Do you… perhaps, know why she continues to endeavour in such a way?” I ask.

“...I’m afraid I do not know her motives, beyond simply trying to help as many people as she can. I think her motivation is noble… and the lengths she goes to do so are admirable… but with her logic-oriented mind… It does seem that she’s doing something in vain…”

This was a moment I felt conflicted.

Do I betray my feelings of self-honour, in order to tell Kariya why Yui tries so hard for him? Frankly, she’s been devoting so much time to him… being so stubborn and not giving up on him… that it angers me ever so slightly to hear him talking the way he is.

Yet still, I shall restrain myself. To tell him is to betray her, and to betray my own honour.

“...I see- She does quite a lot for you, and you simply went along with it. I figured you understood her motivations, is all” I say. “That is unfortunate. Yet it seems she thinks that she might save you. So please, Mr.Suzuki- I ask that you believe in her”

Kariya sighed. “I want to- really, I do… but I dunno, man. She’s too stubborn for her own good. Going out of her way like this for someone like me? I value it, really- It’s great to see someone caring for someone like me, but… I cannot say I can believe that whatever’s wrong with me is gonna be cured”

“Very well. I think that should settle things for today, Mr.Suzuki- if you would like, we may talk another time” I said in farewell as I made my way towards the door once again.

“Seeya. I… value, what she’s doing, Arthur. I want you to understand that. I know she has a good reason… and I’m sure you know what that reason is” Kariya soon concluded, tossing the packaging of the biscuits onto the desk.

He knew my omission. He knew I knew more than I was letting on. Yet he decides not to pry… not to understand. 

Kariya’s faith in people is something that is certainly unshakable… unless it seems to concern himself.

Is that for the sake of others…? Or is it for his own sake…?

Regardless, I decided to leave, and head back to find Gawain- there was another stop I wished to make before the evening.


	39. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Gawain FTE 2

I led Gawain into the woods, making idle chatter as the two of us made our movements. We were headed to where I trained with Tomoe once before… and I ever so hoped that such a place would be undisturbed- if only so we might use it ourselves.

“Well, my king- why might we be headed out into this place?” Gawain soon asked, glancing around at this small clearing. “And what a place you have found…! It should be quite tranquil here, to say the very least!”

I nodded. “It would be- however… I’m here to blow off some steam, as it were, Gawain” I explained. In response, Gawain raised an eyebrow and gripped the hilt of his sword, pulling forth the wooden blade he was given- I recognised the design as a shoddy wooden replica of the sword that bore the name name as himself- that being Galatine.

I drew my own sword wordlessly. We both knew the conditions of this friendly sparring session, and we both knew that such an event would result in neither of us getting injured. These wooden blades would not be able to do anything to our armour, and neither of us intended to make a blow for the head.

With a smile and a nod, we began.

Making the first move, I leapt forward, raising my blade to eye level and thrusting it forth with both of my arms. Gawain skillfully swerved out of the way of my strike, weaving into a downward slash. In response, I motioned my blade to block the strike, parrying the attack and trying to press forward into Gawain.

Unfortunately, Gawain read my attack, making sure to move back and attempt to repel my strike. He followed up with a perfect counterattack, giving me almost no room to avoid his attack.

Soon enough, we reached a sort of rhythm. One of us would press the attack, the other would manage to dodge, then weave, then counter- said counter would pave the way into pressing an attack, leading to the other dodging, weaving, then countering.

In a sense, one might consider it a dance of swords.

My style of swordplay was quite aggressive in this moment. My blade’s strikes were all intent on quashing the frustrations I had with Kariya- how he seemed to almost… disregard everything that Yui does for him... 

My aggression only continued to heighten, and my speed increased with adrenaline flushing through me. That being said, Gawain remained calm and composed, keeping up with me easily.

That being said, I knew Gawain was holding back- at least for now.

Out of the Knights of the Round, Gawain’s Swordsmanship was only surpassed by Kay and Lancelot. He was a prime example of a knight in his combat ability- albeit, not the very ceiling of strength with the sword. It was a combination of his incredible prowess, and strictly keeping to his vows as a knight, that led him along to the path of becoming the Ultimate Knight.

Gawain was holding back… for the simple reason that I wanted to blow off steam. From my own inner critique, I was able to notice half a dozen ways in which Gawain could have concluded this fight- in fact, it was possible for him to conclude this fight mere seconds into its start.

It was such that I began to consider to myself ‘How worthy of an opponent would Gawain be to Tomoe?’- would he actually have a chance at defeating such an overwhelmingly skillful and strong woman as her?

‘Possibly’ was my conclusion. From what I had seen of Gawain, I could at least say his chances were much higher than my own. I would personally give him a 30- no, 35% chance, based purely off of what I believed Tomoe to be capable of from the, frankly, brutal spirit that she exuded in the heat of battle.

In the midst of my rambling thoughts of a theoretical battle between two other people, Gawain dealt a clean blow to my arm, his strength pushing me to the ground. I got up quickly not soon after, dusting myself off as he laughed heartily.

“And so I prevail, my king!” He proclaimed, smiling. “That being said- I think I somewhat understand what it is that is the issue… something with Lord Suzuki must have frustrated you ever so slightly, hm? You seemed focused on something that nagged in your head, is all”

I chuckled in response. “It seems our sparring reveals much about our thoughts, doesn’t it, Gawain? Indeed… that was the case- though to be honest… I did eventually lose such thoughts and thought how it would be for you to duel Miss Tomoe”

“Haha-! Lady Tomoe… yes, it would be an interesting battle, I am sure. Though let us dispense with the concept of duelling, for now. This was merely a means to pound out your frustrations, my king- so now we might talk about them calmly. What is it that frustrated you so about what Lord Suzuki said?”

“Well… he seemed to think that he would not be able to be cured- and furthermore… he seemed quite… against, being kept like how he was by Miss Samegawa- he seemed to neglect how much she did for him, to be frank- she is working hard, I am sure…”

Gawain sighed, pushing me down to the floor by my shoulder. The two of us soon sat cross legged on the floor. He kept his hand on my shoulder as he began to explain.

“My king… I can see your issues with what is occurring- and I can understand all too well why it ails you so. You are right that Lady Samegawa is working her absolute hardest for Lord Suzuki… To be honest, I cannot say who is correct in this circumstance. To deny even the possibility of help from Lady Samegawa, from my perspective, is not a good thing… though it is also against Lord Suzuki’s wishes… Though I suppose there is one thing that I believe… that is Lady Samegawa needs Lord Suzuki”

“Needs…? I cannot understand, Gawain- could you… explain?” I asked, confused.

“I am not referring to something as love- more rather… yes, I suppose Merlin would call it a ‘coping mechanism’- or so I believe… She focuses on nothing but her work with Lord Suzuki, more often than not. In a sense… I believe Lord Suzuki is her means of escapism from what is going on”

A method of escapism… from the situation we’re in? I suppose… it makes some amount of sense. Though the reasoning, I know, runs far deeper…

There’s no avoiding it. Eventually, I shall have to confront her about it. She… must see some similarities in the case of her mother, and of the case of Kariya- and those similarities… they must make her want to help him as much as possible. Else she would act just the same to Kiragi, I’m sure…

“I see… in such a case- Perhaps confronting her directly would not be the worst of ideas…” I soon concluded, sighing. “It is something that needs to be said and brought to attention, I believe- at least to them”

Gawain, lowered his head. “Perhaps. It depends on what you saw, my king. I shall not ask- for it is your business, as well as theirs”

“Yes… I suppose I shall confront them whenever I next get the chance” I said, nodding as I stood up. “My thanks for the assistance in organising my thoughts, Gawain. You have always been an important listener, and someone who I can trust to tell me what I must hear”

Gawain smiled. “It’s not a problem, my king. I wouldn’t call myself as harsh a critic as Tristan, but my counsel is perhaps superior in its own way… considering that last time he levied such critique against you”

I nodded. “He was right- and of course he was. It vaguely frustrates me how right Tristan could be when it came to the nature of the situation- though all the same… One cannot point out just the faults, as Tristan does. To be sure your critique retains its weight… you must acknowledge the good, as well”

“Hmhm… I am sure he knew that. In a way, I think of Tristan as the opposite of Palamedes, in some sense. Palamedes does not acknowledge your faults… whilst Tristan sees every fault you make. Yet all the same- they respect and revere you all the same- for you are their king, and they find you worthy of such a title”

“Perhaps. They met before either encountered the rest of us, did they not?” I asked, changing the subject to our mutual friends and colleagues more properly.

“Indeed, my king. As I recall… yes, it was when Tristan travelled East somewhat- going through France, Germany, the Middle East… He encountered Palamedes in that time, and I believe the both of them exchanged blades, even!” Gawain recalled, laughing. 

“Hmhm… I recall. Tristan endured a journey like that, for one reason or another… or so I recall, it was something about self-discovery?” I then proceeded to say, looking to Gawain.

“Indeed it was… It makes me wonder if Lord Ichijiku did the same, frankly. They are quite alike…” Gawain said with a smile. “Though Tristan has slightly different values, in the end, in comparison to what we know of Lord Ichijiku”

“Hmm… I shall have to agree with that. Mr.Ichijiku’s beliefs are a little more nihilistic than that of Tristan’s. At the very least, Tristan’s beliefs do not extend further than himself, when it comes to such… dour topics”

Gawain soon nodded. “I wish I could help him see himself more positively, to be honest… I do not do nearly enough for everyone- there is always something more I can do”

I shook my head, looking up at his face. “You needn’t think that, Gawain. You do plenty- you are simply being modest about your efforts. Your humility astounds even me, sometimes…” I sighed in disbelief. Truly, Gawain was one of the hardest workers I had ever encountered. To think that he did not anything special or he did not do enough… that is something that I cannot even fathom.

  
“You help him more than you know, I am sure” I replied, gesturing for Gawain to follow. “For now, Gawain… I think after this, the best thing to do is to simply go to dinner. Come along”

With a light nod, Gawain followed behind me. What would dinner be like this evening, I had to wonder… hopefully not as horrible as this morning’s breakfast, I’m sure.


	40. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Day 4: Conclusion

Arriving at the restaurant, there was an ever-so-slight difference.

Most things were the same- Muramasa remained behind the counter cooking, and almost everyone was sitting down. The difference seemed to come in who was sitting down, and performing the roles that they were.

“S-Sorry…! I-I’ll get you the right one…!” The overly apologetic voice of Tomoe sounded, bowing her head in embarrassment at Ayako, who just gave her a giggle and a wave of the hand, as if to say that it was perfectly fine.

It seemed that, instead of Okita distributing out the food, Tomoe had taken up the point in her stead. She was… a little clumsy, from the looks, occasionally muddling up who got what, but… she seemed to be trying her hardest, at the very least. That was the most one could ask of someone, after all.

The reason for her being the one to deliver the food this evening seemed to be because Okita and Kiragi were going to be informing everyone about something. The both of them were positioned next to the bar, on top of that ever so slight incline that led down into the main tables.

“Perfect timing, Arthur, Gawain” Okita said to us in greeting, giving us a smile.

“I suppose now that you’ve finally arrived, we can now stop keeping people waiting and tell everyone the plan” Kiragi soon tacked on. Okita seemed to look down on the wheelchair-bound boy with a raised eyebrow, to which, he responded with a simple shrug.

Sitting down on one of the tables, me, Gawain, and everyone else listened to what Okita and Kiragi had to say.

“First and foremost… I’m sure everyone’s still a little conflicted over the events of this morning. That’s all well and good… frankly, I’m not surprised that we are” Okita began looking over the group.

  
“Yeah. And it’s because of that, we’ve organised a little plan to lift everyone’s spirits” Kiragi added on, unrolling a piece of paper- seemingly a scroll taken from Danford’s building. Upon this scroll was a long list of items. My eyesight was always quite sharp, so I was able to read Kiragi’s, admittedly, rather small handwriting with a bit of effort.

“This little scroll here is a list of things we need to get together if we’re gonna go forward with our plan- this plan is what amounts to a simple sporting event. Running a course, throwing things, etcetera. Right now, the plan is to just sorta play it a bit competitively, you know, attach a scoring system and all that. Thooooough I guess, in the end, it’s not really going to dictate anything, so we’re good to take this casually and treat it as if it’s something more laid back- maybe attach a barbecue or something to all of this, if we have one in the back…?”

Muramasa nodded. “Yeh. There’s one ‘n th’ back. Bi’ of a shit one, though” he responded, crossing his arms. “I’m down, if it means I can use it, y’know? Makin’ something on it would be an experience, at least”

Kintarou nodded his head enthusiastically. “Oh heck yeah! Gotta get some good ol’ ribs up on there, too, y’know? Think they’d go rather well with all this stuff we’re doing, yeah?- I know a neat little sauce recipe for that kinda stuff too- makes for some reeeeeal nice ribs, ya’ dig? Makes ‘em sweeter than a baby’s smile, I tell ‘ya!” He said with a wide grin, the excitement clear on his face.

“As you say, I’m sure, Kintarou! Hmhm… I cannot lie, I am quite interested in what this event may come out to be- I shall attend, at the very least, if my king is also not dissatisfied with such a proposal?” Gawain asked, looking down with a smile.

“...I am more than satisfied with the possibility of the proposal. There’s surely much more to be enjoyed, as more people contribute their own ideas. I, for one, feel your list might perhaps double in size!” I proclaimed, giving a well-intentioned smile.

“Yeah. I expected that” Kiragi responded, nodding plainly. “In any case… I suppose we are all good to participate in such an event? Well, at least most of us. I personally cannot do much in the way of running, of course, but- we can all participate in such an event, yes?”

“You think one such as I would wish to participate amongst mere mongrels in an event such as that?” King soon said, dissatisfaction leaking from his mouth. “Whilst it is true that I do, indeed, enjoy the prospect of sport, albeit, a different sort of sport than the ones you list, I will not be giving simply anyone the privilege of playing against me. The simple reason I do not part ways with you all is because this is the only place to obtain palatable food. There are no opponents I wish to face in sport, here”

“Hmph. Count me out, too. There’s not going to be anything interesting about this- much less if one of the sole roots of discourse isn’t attending. I’d much rather sit in here and think about things” Seisei huffed.

“Like we didn’t expect either of you jokers dropping out” Inanna snarkily replied, smirking as she crossed her legs. “Anyway, anyone else gonna be a lazy fuck and not work out? I mean, c’mon now, there’s nothing better to do, right?”

“...I would rather spend my time in prayer once again. I dearly hope for your enjoyment, all the same” Hana soon added, lowering her head. “I must contest that this is out of diligence, rather than sloth, however”

“Mr.Suzuki will not be participating either” Yui answered. “Frankly, tossing around anything remotely heavy may be too much for him in the state he’s in”

I believe we all expected as much of a remark as this- I do not believe for a second, however, that anyone predicted the next person to speak, and the content of their words.

Kariya sighed. “Look- lemme do something for once, yeah?” He said, looking to Yui with a furrowed brow. It seemed to be that Kariya was a bit frustrated at the fact Yui was answering for him. “You don’t need to baby me- nor answer for me”

Yui shook her head. “Though I absolutely must, if you are continuing to stay in the state that you are in. Mr.Suzuki- let us be honest. You cannot do any extraneous activity without bodily harm thanks to the condition you’ve found yourself in. Doing so is a health risk!” She soon retorted, scolding Kariya, waving around her fork a bit in her hand as if it was some sort of stick a teacher would use to point at a board.

Kariya’s face seemed to shrivel a little in further frustration. “Ok, Samegawa, let’s get this straight- you can’t help me- I’m way too far gone, and that much is already fucking clear. You know that you can’t help me. Let me do what I want, since I’m gonna die anyhow”

The room went dead silent. Any murmurings, or even any sound made from motion, utterly ceased.

I had to wonder if my talk with Kariya somehow played a part in why he acted this way. He seemed to hold contempt in that Yui was holding him down… and having been able to talk about it with someone… perhaps, he stewed on it for a bit too long?

Yui’s expression was one of slight shock, but it quickly corrected itself- despite the attempted corrections, however… the cracks still showed themselves- little faults in her expression that displayed that she was, truly, not as calm as her facade seemed to let on. “C-Come now, Mr.Suzuki- you cannot act in such a-”

“There it is again- I CAN act in that manner, and I can act in any matter I want. Forgive me for sounding like some sort of bratty teen, but I’m my own man, and can make my own decisions”

In a sense, Kariya had a point. He was a dying man. It was clear that Yui would not be able to save him- at least not with the medical equipment present here. No… sooner or later, Kariya would die. That being said... he didn’t seem particularly suicidal, either. He wasn’t about to offer himself up as some kind of martyr.

“It is my obligation as a surgeon- and even more so, the Ultimate Surgeon, to make sure that you do not do anything that endangers your life! ...Please, Mr.Suzuki- Kariya- I… It’s not wise, okay? I won’t be able to treat you in time if you work yourself too hard…” Yui practically murmured.

From the look on Kariya’s face, even just mustering up that little bit of ferocity in his voice had done a little damage… and it didn’t help his case at all. If such simple acts as this stirred up issues internally, I shuddered to consider how Kariya had lived for this long, and how absolutely horrid the damage could be if he did some actual exercise.

“We’ll adapt some things to make it possible for Kariya to participate” Kiragi soon concluded. “Having a little meltdown over all of this wouldn’t be a sound idea- for either of you. We’ll do what we can to accommodate both of your viewpoints”.

“Pretty confident you can do that, huh?” Shigure soon said with a yawn. “Eh- fair play, I guess. Anything to stop things getting a bit more feisty, you know?”

Kiragi nodded begrudgingly. “I suppose. All the same, let’s eat, and then once the announcement sounds, head to bed. We’ll begin the event at lunch in order to make things easier. We’ll need some help moving everything around- As much as I loathe to ask: Kintarou, Gawain, Tomoe, Muramasa, we’ll be needing your help for that, at the very least, all things considered. With the 4 of you, as well as help with some of the lighter things from Okita, and ever so rarely, myself, we should get things prepared in time” He explained, before he wheeled his way down to the tables.

“Well, that’s all she wrote, guys! Let’s just try and enjoy dinner tonight, huh?” Okita said, giving a tiny salute with her fingers before following Kiragi.

The 16 of us ate in a similar and reserved manner as breakfast. I had dearly hoped Kiragi’s words would have influenced everyone into a more positive mood, but it seemed to not be the case.

The announcement soon rang, and we all made our way home. However… Someone called to me, before I had opened my door.

“Mr.Pendragon. A word, would you?” The stern voice of Yui asked, looking rather stone-faced at the time.

I turned around to face her. “Of course. What is it you’d like to ask?” I said in reply. “Perhaps there is something troubling you?”

Yui looked around before speaking once more. “What you said to Mr.Suzuki- does it have any relation to what happened in the restaurant?” She asked- a very pointed question- a question she was already certain that she knew the answer to.

“...Not directly. He simply complained to me about his feelings towards you. I then told him that you likely had your reasons- perhaps more than you said. Mr.Suzuki then must have thought about it, and now, he is a bit more… angered, by the way you act. Something must have clicked with him, I assume”

“And you are so certain I have a reason besides protecting the health of a fellow human being? Why would I have such a motive? If it was not clear from our interactions, Mr.Suzuki and myself were not so much as aware of each other before any of this. Perhaps it may be a leap in logic, but… I cannot shake the fact that you, yourself, know more than you say”

“...So then you do have another reason” I then replied back, as if to reaffirm the truth that I was already aware of… if the memories are indeed true, and not fabricated- that possibility never even seemed to cross my mind.

Yui sighed. “You don’t need to play dumb, Arthur. I know that you know what I’ve been through” She replied, taking a hand out of her pocket. “That’s why you’re looking at me with pity right now”

I did not even notice it… but, in the pit of my stomach, simply… looking, at Yui, made me ever so slightly piteous. Why…? I have seen, and even gone so far as to perhaps have made people, go through worse. Was it perhaps the closer connection I had? Because I knew them, and not the countless faceless people?

Truly, my horrible poker face must have been clear here, with a slight look of guilt on my face. I had wished that my poker face was better than this in these sorts of situations.

“...I do know, yes” I soon confirmed with a nod.

Yui shut one eye and lazily flicked my nose, before sighing. “So you DID see my memory…”

It was only now that I realised my error. My poker face was perfect until this moment- she simply performed the same trick I tried to use against her.

Truly, this was a blunder… truly, quite the failure.

I soon let out a sigh, one hand gripping my mantle and pulling it around my body a little. “That is the case, Miss Samegawa… though what I did say was the truth. I did not tell Mr.Suzuki- I thought it best not to disclose what I saw to anyone, frankly”

Yui sighed, patting my shoulder. Should I really be letting her do this to me? I am a king… getting my nose flicked, and now, having a hand laid on me? Were I a stricter king, I’d have likely already stricken her back in some way. Though an eye for an eye is blinding- or however such a phrase went… “It’s fine, Mr.Pendragon. It was inevitable that someone would know. I did think it was odd that… well, you went and saw Mr.Suzuki- I knew that there was something to do with the memories going on”

Whilst she said that it was fine, it was very clear to me in her expression that such a thing was not so fine. Whilst she continued that stone-faced demeanour, I also witnessed those ever so slight twitches that seemed to denote that this was an expression created with great effort.

“...I dare not pry. Unless, you mean to discuss it… I see no reason to- all I am certain of is this: Your treatment of Mr.Suzuki is not only for his benefit, but for your own, as well. Those moments in your past are what propels you to care so deeply for his well-being” I finally concluded, shaking my head. “To call it anything beyond a feeling of reliance… well, I suppose you would know that better than I”

Yui’s eyes looked me up and down. “Perhaps. You, however, are not too different than me, in such a circumstance. You rely on Mr.Galatine quite a bit, as well. You rely on him to protect you… both physically and mentally, if I’m not mistaken”

I nodded. “I do not particularly fault you for relying on Mr.Suzuki in such a way… it is simply the way you go about it- you go against his own wishes for your own stability. Your own wishes- I believe that is what one might call ‘selfishness’, in some aspects”

Yui sighed. “...It’s for both of our sakes, let’s be honest here. Either way, I don’t think either of us can judge each other for it. I’ll trust you not to say anything on it- I don’t want to hear about… it, okay?” She soon concluded, crossing her arms. “I don’t like talking about it- as I’m sure you can tell”

“Of course… I doubt anyone would like to talk about one of their most painful memories” I soon agreed, before turning my back to her. “Good night, Miss Samegawa- let us hope that things should continue to go smoothly”

Entering my home, many thoughts flooded into my head. Mostly about Yui, and… well, the motive.

Another vision would come to me this night. One that would provide further clarity to the circumstances of Miss Samegawa’s memory…

Taking off my armour, and my mantle, I rested on the sofa again tonight. I didn’t have the energy to head into my room. All this… thinking- thinking about things so close and related to me… it was taxing.

Yes, taxing just like those old times.

???’s Perspective:

It was as before. I saw further clarity. Further clarity on that king- Arthur.

The previous dream… it made sense- and it, furthermore, confirmed all I thought about him.

That man does not have a human heart.

The setting was just as the same. A large throne room- light spilling from windows of tinted glass onto a shining white floor- gold and blue banners and other decor draped around. I looked at the expression of the man I would soon take the place of. Yes… this was just after what I had seen before.

The bow-wielding knight stepped away, silver boots thudding against the floor. He seemed without a care- almost tired. I would liken him to Seisei, with the way his face appeared- yet unlike the sort of malicious happiness that embellished that face… it was one of melancholy, for this one.

It brought on a simple memory of the previous moment. The final words said.

“My king… The reason you face these circumstances… is your lack of understanding of the human heart. It is truly tragic that you cannot see the terrible error you have made”

I’ve made plenty of errors… but they were much smaller scale than this- and definitely something that would be harder to understand. This idiot…

He has to be greater than this- he HAS to. It was HIS choice to reign as a king- and to stand practically alone. It is his lack of foresight, and his generally insensitivity to emotion that spelled his downfall into this situation. How someone could be called the Ultimate King with an incredible failure as that… I just cannot comprehend it.

But… That doesn’t quite work with the image in my own head right now.

Arthur… he’s not emotionless- nor is he strict. He… actually behaves like one of us- like a regular human- and one who seems to at least understand our emotions to a level… he’s not entirely socially inept, I’m sure.

Was… this, the catalyst of his change?


	41. Chapter 1: Valley of Old, Valley of New: Interlude: The King’s Heart

Arthur’s POV:

The King must always stand alone.

I have said those words many times. No matter how many knights stand at his side- and no matter how friendly, or how close they are to him… he must always reign alone. That is the mantle and crown the king must bear.

I will never stop thinking in such a way. And I will never stop trying to solve everything, for, as I have said, the King is the one responsible for everything.

Yes… responsible for all things, Good, and Evil.

All things virtuous, and all things sinful.

He must bear the weight of all their sins, and be alleviated by their virtues.

It is my father, the previous king’s, fault that the people had to endure hardship… due to his own follies. He decided to put his utterly sinful nature, and his humanity above that of his country. He decided to put his own joy, and the joy of those he knew, above that of the common man- the backbone of the kingdom he reigned.

He is also the one who put many of my knights through hardship- the one who made them endure needless hardship.

He is the one who put Tristan’s father to death by forcing him into battle against a rebellious baron.

He is the one who allowed Kay’s absolutely horrid torment to persist under the guise of her cruel parents.

He is the one who continued to keep Merlin imprisoned when he was but a child, despite doing nothing wrong, besides being the child of a criminal who wronged him- and because Viviane despised him.

He has done much to hurt those who became the Knights of the Round after his passing- and ever so many more common folk. True irony- or perhaps, once might call it poetic justice?

Were he not my father... I would have taken action entirely of my own volition and bias- for the horror of what he did was not unlike that of the cruel Vortigern who overthrew him. He who proclaimed himself a living demon.

But my weakness as a human got in the way. I could not bring myself to do it… Thankfully, Vortigern overthrew him before I gained the courage to commit regicide. That weakness caused people to suffer, both under Vortigern, and under my father. The frailty of the human heart cannot be a factor in the perfect king.

I cannot allow myself to be human. I must be as Atlas, and hold everything on my shoulders. This kingdom’s burdens are my burdens, and I must bear them- no matter the negatives that were formed because of it.

Such behaviour one may call… self-destructive. Such behaviour will kill you… that is perhaps true- but I was sure that this was the right way.

...Though it appears that such a way is not perfect.

Especially considering one of those knights that he so wronged is so heavily against my actions.

I had chosen to punish Mordred for his treachery. My very own brother. He who has wronged this kingdom under my reign. Blood or not, I could not allow that to stand. I did not kill him… for I could not bring myself to do it. In the end, I simply ruled for a change in the order of succession. After my passing, Gawain would assume the throne, as a close relative and an honourable knight. After him, Agravain, then after him, Gaheris- I would not allow Mordred the throne he so obviously craved- for I saw my father, and worse still, I saw the tyrannical cruelty of Vortigern in him.

Or at least, that’s what I believed his aim was. His aim could be, perhaps, something far more human than that… which only further strengthened my conviction- a king cannot be allowed to be human.

I could not accept a possible successor being such a person.

...Yes, I failed as a king, then and there- I let my own humanity get in the way.

Yet all the same… it seems my verdict was the height of folly- for Mordred now brings insurrection to my kingdom once again. Mordred’s minor infraction had blossomed into a rebellion.

And thus, it has led to Tristan’s words.

‘My king… The reason you face these circumstances… is your lack of understanding of the human heart. It is truly tragic that you cannot see the terrible error you have made’

Those words broke away at the visage of a king I had created.

The error in my rule… was the lack of humanity I tried ever so hard to have?

Was my rule wrong… from the very beginning?

The doubts from when I first assumed the throne set in… the dark, unyielding, and violent thoughts. The thoughts one has when they reach the very abyss of the human psyche.

The want for a way out of that abyss.

The want for a conclusion.

The want for death.

Such were the thoughts that plagued the back of my mind in those moments and those that followed.

“You needn’t care for what Sir Tristan says, my king” The proud voice of Palamedes rang out. This man, in his shining golden plate armour, brought a gauntlet-clad hand over his heart, and lowered his head. “There is no perfect king- there is simply a king that is great. Sir Tristan does not understand that, I am sure… he sees nothing but flaws in life, and none of the beauty in it. There is greatness in your reign, my king…”

The knight’s words were, perhaps, genuine… but in my mind at this moment, they were nothing but a single, insignificant, flash of light.

On this day, two friends had turned themselves away from me, in some manner. Friends I had known for years… and one I had known since birth. My human side ached and waned, wailed and shrieked… but my steel-like face remained firm.

Now, in this hall, there was 1 less knight than there was when we began. The knights present were those I trusted deeply, one way or another. Gawain, Lancelot, Agravain, Palamedes, Merlin, Percival, Gaheris, Gareth and Kay. Where once 10 knights were before me… only 9 remained in this moment.

“He is right, my king! I am sure you are aware of just how much you have done to help your people! You have been a wonderful ruler- and most definitely not one that I may call ‘heartless’, if I may be so bold! To call one such as you that… come now, my king, Tristan is simply… upset” Gawain soon chimed in, that titanic form of his open and his mouth giving a wide smile.

A smile that, for once, I could not believe.

“...You needn’t say things for the sake of the feelings of your king. You… know as well as I… I cannot allow myself to be weak” I manage to stammer, my facade slowly cracking, then and there. I began to leave the room.

Gawain moved towards me, but before he could take the first step, an arm blocked his path.

“Come now, brother. We needn’t try and lighten the king’s mood with anything that he cannot believe, himself. That would be a waste of our time, and his patience” spat Gaheris, who shook his head. “Your belief in the king is admirable, but it is also blinding. Keep that in mind”.

“...Yet we must still believe in the king, all the same. He did not become the king purely by being born the way he was” Agravain soon grumbled, sighing. “You understand, as well as I, what our king has gone through- and that is why we needn’t fear this time, either”

I had left the room… but I heard the voices of discussion, all the same. I wished to hear… what they were talking about, now that I had left the room. Would their tune change? Was everything false?

“With all due respect, Sir Agravain… This is, indeed, a matter of the human heart… Facing Vortigern will not be the same as facing Sir Mordred” Lancelot responded, sighing. “He has faced a greater threat overall… but this is a threat that shall strike through the steely facade that our king has created, unfortunately”

Agravain sighed, shaking his head. “I suppose… you are right. That is the true issue at hand. It is an attack that surpasses the defences that our king has. It strikes at his weakest part- his heart… Yet still, we must have faith in the king. Let us not fool around- To have Mordred as the King of England would be a monumental mistake, for both our country, and our foreign relations”

The heads of the knights nodded. “We cannot allow Sir Mordred’s rebellion to succeed. He is a Prince that must not be made King. He has loyalty among the more… problematic minor lords. I fear that once he entrusts lands to them, we may yet see another time as the reign of the Vile King Vortigern, or one such as that of Uther” Palamedes soon added.

“In other words, things are gonna go straight down the shitter” Merlin said with a smirk. “Welp- I’m agreeing with you, there. We gotta stop that. Let’s see… I’ll need to try and make some new weapons for ‘ya- something old Mordy won’t be expecting”

  
“That would be best… The common weapons and armour- that is, those revolutionary combinations of the past and present… They must be surpassed if we are to gain an advantage” Lancelot contributed.

In the corner of the room that I had just left, there was but one person who seemed to show their distress on their face clearly…

“Lady Kay… What say you?” Agravain asked with a stone face. “If we know not all of what the knights think and feel… we cannot plot accordingly, in a situation as this”

Kay’s eyes trailed up to look Agravain in the eyes. “...I don’t know, honestly. I feel what Arthur- I mean… the king, is feeling, but… He’s certainly hurting. To remedy such a pain… I suppose we’ll just have to show we’re there for him”

“Hee-hee-hee… Not wrong, not wrong…! Though I really have to think- Getting out of this scrape would be to surpass our own legends, y’know?” Merlin soon chimed, adjusting the monocle on the right side of his face. “I’m excited for that, at least- What DOES the future hold for our king and kingdom?”

Agravain sighed. “Sir Merlin… Let us keep on the present, rather than the future for now, yes?” He grumbled yet again, crossing his arms.

“Ahhhh, come now, come now- lighten up! I mean, yeah sure, everything’s going to shit, but when everything’s going to shit, part of what’s important is putting up a brave face and saying ‘Everything will be absolutely alright!’ and all that… ‘ya get me?” Merlin replied, tapping his staff lightly against the floor as he did. “Besides, knowing Mordy, he’s ALSO looking to follow the legend to a T… besides him dying as well, of course”

Gawain nodded, in response. “He’s indeed correct. Fellow Knights of the Round… there will come a time where our king will fall- but it shall not be rebellion, and it shall not be Sir Mordred, especially, that shall undo his rule. If the legends are true… our spirits returned to save this country, and that is what we shall do. We shall safeguard it for future generations. Let us work as hard as we can for our king” He soon explained, the knights all nodding in unison.

“Good t’ know you’re on board, Sunbro- let’s see… if Mordy’s looking to just try and repeat history… then there’s only one place he’s looking to show himself at, right?” Merlin said, adjusting his monocle as he ruffled his hair with his other hand.

“The battle of Camlann! ...which would be… around Cornwall, somewhere, right?” Gareth finally spoke up, slamming a fist into an open palm. “If that’s the place… then we gotta prepare a defense there, right?”

“That’s right, dear sister of mine!” Gawain replied, ruffling her hair with a large palm. “If we prepare a defence there… we should be alright. We’ve already, thankfully, subverted the legend, what with Sir Lancelot remaining alongside us, and various other Knights remaining alive- If there is any chance in reversing the battle, it will be with using every one of the Round Table Knights”

“Very well then, Sir Gawain- Let us strategise, and begin mounting our defense against Sir Mordred. Lamorak, Pellinore and Yvain are already out there as we speak, at the very least” Agravain said after nodding in agreement to the words of Gawain.

“And I have no doubt that Galehaut will be as well once he hears word…” Lancelot chimed in.

“Indeed…! Haha… always one to rush into battle, that one…” Palamedes soon laughed, raising his sword to the sky. “Very well then…! Let us do our best!”

“Yes!” The knights all replied, raising their own blades to the air.

...Hearing that, was at least reassuring… but it did nothing to better my overall thoughts right now.

I knew that this situation had only really arisen because of my horrible decisions.

I knew that the knights would not have to go through all of this, and put on a brave face, if I did my job correctly.

It is such a responsibility that I absolutely shirked. Such was my ineptitude, clearly.

As a king, I had failed… Perhaps… perhaps, it would not be too bad to be… somewhat human?

...No. I cannot allow myself to think that.

The king is he who bears the weight of all of his kingdom. There is no human who can bear that weight.

That is why I am beyond human- I am a monster without a human heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, Arthur's little 'worst moment' gets a chapter in of itself! A little cameo from a few of the Knights of the Round he surrounded himself with, and a look at his inner thoughts from before all this stuff began! But when was this...? It's rather recent, to say the least of it- May or may not be getting brought up later though I wouldn't say 'soon' quite.


End file.
